2010 Minnesota State Fair - St. Paul, MN

I may not go into too much detail on this trip to the fair, but it was amazing. I'm also in pain... A LOT of pain. But it was worth it.

And before you ask... Yes, this was all in one day. Actually, less than 11 hours.

I spent a lot of time on my own eating a great amount of food. D.Rough had to work the booth for the Minnesota Rollergirls, so I struck out on my own with a list of places I needed to go.

Tator Tot Hot Dish on a Stick from Ole and Lena's. Meatballs and tator tots inside a corndog batter. Served with Hamburger and Mushroom dipping sauce. Really good.


Deep Fried Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes on a Stick from Potato Man and Sweetie. Served with ketchup, gravy, sour cream, or honey mustard. I went with the Poutine approach.


Scotch Egg. If you have never had one, go find one. It is a hard boiled egg wrapped in ground sausage and then deep fried crispy. Well played, Scotland! This originally seemed dry, but once we added maple syrup to it, it was REALLY good.

Deep Fried Pickle Chips (cajun) with ranch dipping sauce. (I only had a couple of these - they were D.Rough's.)

1919. The best rootbeer ever.


Minnesota Rollergirls booth at the FanCenter.

Camel on a Stick from Safari. It tastes like a camel looks - dirty, dry, and tough. Not recommended, even with the spicy sauce that came on it.

Parade in the middle of the street. I don't think the color guard are allowed to carry guns anymore, so they carry these shiny Star Trek things.

Deep Fried Gator Nuggets from Bayou Bob's with gator shaped cajun fries.

Pet Center (I didn't eat either of these dogs - they were really cute).

Itty-Bitz fake ice cream pellets. The caramel chocolate flavor.

Chicken Fried Bacon with sweet cinnamon maple gravy dipping sauce. Just ok - never thought I'd say that about bacon, did you?


Is this that "All-You-Can-Drink-Milk" place?

Another 1919.

Big Fat Bacon on a Stick. 1/3 pound strip of bacon deep fried and put on a stick. Then you can pour on orange-chipotle sauce onto it. Delicious. Probably the best bacon I've ever eaten.

I skipped this place...

Another 1919.

Mobility Scooter with custom trailer for his wife. Seriously. (This is the same couple I took a photo of in Owatonna at the Steele County Free Fair two weeks ago - small world!)


Deep Fried Banana Split from Ole and Lena's. Battered and deep fried banana with ice cream, strawberries, blackberries, and whipped cream. Really good.I think I even LOOK tubbier than when I first got to the fair...


Schneider's Old Fashioned Root Beer.

Pass through the Fine Arts Building - one amazing piece in particular should be purchased. Nicholas Harper's Imago. Stunning.

D.Rough and I need to rest.


Monster Shop Bump'n Dance Troupe.

Deep Fried Cheese Curds and Lemonade.

Rolaids.

Corn Dog Pizza.

Ride on the Skycars over the fair.

Giant unidentifiable bubbles.

Giant Slide.

Sweet Martha's Cookies (and Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest Beer - not pictured). (To be honest, I only had a couple of these cookies since I was having trouble fitting into my pants at this point.)


Trampled By Turtles - amazing.

Top 5 things about the 2010 Minnesota State Fair
1. Tater Tot Hot Dish On a Stick
2. 1919
3. Deep Fried Banana Split
4. Scotch Egg
5. Trampled By Turtles

Bottom 5 things
1. Camel on a Stick
2. Deep Fried Alligator
3. Schneider's Old Fashioned Root Beer
4. Gator Nuggets were a bit of a let down
5. I'm now broke, sunburned, in pain, and oozing grease (I still say it was worth it)

www.mnstatefair.org