Midwest

7 intriguing new foods at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair, including 'Grilled Purple Sticky Rice'

Published

2 years ago

July 13, 2024

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7 intriguing new foods at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair, including 'Grilled Purple Sticky Rice'

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The Minnesota State Fair is known for its unique food offerings and the 2024 fair looks to be no exception.

Earlier this week, the Minnesota State Fair announced the 33 new food items that will be available this year when the fair opens on Aug. 22 (it runs until Labor Day, Sept. 2).

“We are so excited to announce our new foods for 2024. We work hard to present a diverse array of new foods each year and are excited to introduce several new vendors,” Maria Hayden, a spokesperson for the Minnesota State Fair, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

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Some of the chefs who designed dishes for the fair are James Beard Award winners and semifinalists, she said.

“In addition, there are a lot of fun new foods that we think people will be talking about, such as Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing, Dill Pickle Tots, Chile Mango Whip and, to wash it all down, Cotton Candy Iced Tea,” she said.

The Minnesota State Fair announced that 33 new foods will be coming to the fair this year, including Grilled Purple Stick Rice and Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing. (Minnesota State Fair)

Minnesota State Fair foods to know about

Here are 7 items that are available this year.

1. Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing

Described by the Minnesota State Fair as “ranch dressing filling made with ranch seasoning, buttermilk and cream cheese in a panko shell, deep-fried and dusted with ranch powder,” this vegetarian treat comes with “a side of hot honey sauce crafted with Cry Baby Craig’s hot sauce.”

Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing is served with a side of hot honey sauce. (Minnesota State Fair)

It will be available at LuLu’s Public House.

“People in Minnesota love their ranch dressing,” Charlie Burrows, co-owner of Lulu’s, told Fox News Digital in an email, noting that “diners will ask for a side of ranch with almost everything.”

A deep-fried ranch offering has been in the works for more than a year-and-a-half, Burrows said.

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“We began by brainstorming popular flavors and figuring out ways we could deep-fry it,” he said.

Despite the unusual nature of the dish, Burrows said he thinks people will love it.

“I’m really excited about Deep-Fried Ranch. We think it’s a great product. We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think it tasted great,” he said.

2. Walking Shepherd’s Pie

A unique take on the hearty sit-down pub staple, this dish takes what’s normally a messy meal and compacts it into a handheld pastry.

The dish is “two handmade hot pastries filled with braised ground beef, mashed potatoes and a blend of onions, carrots and peas tossed in herb gravy,” according to the Minnesota State Fair.

The Walking Shepherd’s Pie features a handmade pastry shell. (Minnesota State Fair)

The Walking Shepherd’s Pie will be sold at O’Gara’s at the Fair.

3. Savory Éclairs in Two Varieties

For another twist on traditional pastry, there is no chocolate or pastry cream to be found on the savory éclairs offered at the Minnesota State Fair this year.

Instead, the choux pastry éclair shell will be available as lobster or bánh mì.

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The Lobster Éclair is inspired by a New England-style lobster roll, according to the Minnesota State Fair.

The pastry will be stuffed with “lobster meat, celery, mayo, Cholula hot sauce, limes, chives and salt & pepper” and will be garnished with dried corn and micro cilantro, its description said.

The Savory Éclairs in Two Varieties offering takes the traditional fillings of a New England-style lobster roll and a bánh mì sandwich and serves them in a choux pastry shell. (Minnesota State Fair)

Conversely, the bánh mì éclair will contain “pork confit, chicken liver pâté, pickled carrot & daikon, cucumber and sriracha mayo” and will be garnished with micro cilantro.

The bánh mì is a sandwich that originated in Vietnam. It is traditionally served on a baguette.

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The éclairs will be sold at Scenic 61 by New Scenic Café, according to the Minnesota State Fair.

4. Grilled Purple Sticky Rice

Move over, corn dogs. A new food on a stick is coming to the Minnesota State Fair this year.

The Grilled Purple Sticky Rice fish consists of purple sticky rice that is put on a stick and grilled on an open flame until crunchy, the Minnesota State Fair said.

The rice is then topped with either shredded Hmong beef jerky or a vegetarian option of pickled mushrooms.

Foods on a stick are an integral part of fair cuisine. This year, visitors to the Minnesota State Fair can try Grilled Purple Sticky Rice. (Minnesota State Fair)

The dish is then garnished with herbs and a chili aioli, according to the fair.

This unique offering will be sold at the Union Hmong Kitchen. It is a creation of James Beard Award semifinalist Yia Vang, who was inspired by his mom’s cooking, he told Fox News Digital in an email.

“Growing up, we would eat toasted/grilled sticky rice. It was an incredibly easy snack my mom would make for us,” Vang said.

The snack will be “crunchy, toasty and full of deep rich flavor,” he said, and is meant to be eaten “almost like” one would eat an ice pop.

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“Instead, it’s a delicious crunchy grilled sticky rice with mom’s hot sauce and dad’s Hmong beef jerky,” he said.

About 90,000 people in Minnesota are of Hmong descent, an ethnic group originally from Southeast Asia, according to the St. Paul Hmong Cultural Center. The Twin Cities have the largest urban Hmong population in the world, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reported.

5. Swedish ‘Sota Sliders

With a little more than 7% of the state reporting its Swedish ancestry, Minnesota has the highest number of Swedish Americans as well as the highest percentage of Swedish Americans for any U.S. state, according to the Census Bureau.

The Swedish ‘Sota Sliders, available at Hamline Church Dining Hall, combine the American burger slider with nods to Swedish foods.

The Swedish ‘Sota Sliders are inspired by some of Sweden’s traditional food items. (Minnesota State Fair)

The patty is a cranberry-wild rice meatball and is served with dill Havarti cheese and a relish of beets, red onions, red peppers, lingonberries and cranberries, according to the Minnesota State Fair.

Lingonberries are native to Sweden and are often served with Swedish meatballs, Food.com said.

6. Swedish Ice Cream Sundae

For dessert, the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall is debuting the Swedish Ice Cream Sundae this year.

The sundae features “vanilla ice cream covered in lingonberry jam, sprinkled with Swedish ginger cookie crumble and garnished with a ginger cookie heart.”

The Swedish Ice Cream Sundae contains lingonberries and ginger cookies. (Minnesota State Fair)

7. Patata Frita Focacciawich

Another interesting dessert item with a mouthful of a name to match, the Patata Frita Focacciawich combines savory flavors with sweet treats.

The name refers to the Spanish word for potato chips.

It features a special “‘Patata Frita’ kettle chip-flavored ice cream” that was created by the Minnesota Dairy Lab, according to the Minnesota State Fair.

This treat melds potato chips, ice cream and focaccia all in one dish. (Minnesota State Fair)

The potato chip-flavored ice cream is then sandwiched by focaccia bread and topped with honey butter, more kettle chips and herbs, the description said.

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This unusual ice cream sandwich will be sold at the West End Creamery.

Other new items this year

These food items will also be offered, according to the fair, among others.

3 Piggy Pals on a Stick
Ba’bacon Sour Cream + Onion
Blazing Greek Bites
Buffalo Cheese Curd & Chicken Tacos
Chile Mango Whip
Cookie Butter Crunch Mini Donuts
Cotton Candy Iced Tea
Crab Boil Wings
Deep-Fried Halloumi Cheese
Fried Bee-Nana Pie
Ham and Pickle Roll Up on a Potato Skin
Lady’s Slipper Marble Sundae
Marco’s Garden
Mocha Madness Shave Ice
Nixtamal & Wild Rice Bowl with Wóžapi & Bison Meatballs or Sweet Potato Dumplings
PB Bacon Cakes
Raging Ball
Shroomy “Calamari”
Strawberries and Cream Waffle Stick
Strawberry Lemonade Donut
Sweet Corn Cola Float
Sweet Heat Bacon Crunch
Turkey Kristo
Wrangler Waffle Burger

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Midwest

Minnesota police sergeant, father of two, dies suddenly after brain infection

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota police sergeant, father of two, dies suddenly after brain infection

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A Minnesota police sergeant and father of two died less than 24 hours after doctors diagnosed him with a brain infection, leaving behind a young family and a stunned community.

Sgt. Cody Siebert, a K-9 officer with the East Range Police Department, died Feb. 27, the department announced. He was remembered as a devoted father, loyal colleague and a fixture in the small northern Minnesota community he served.

Siebert helped launch the K-9 program in Babbitt, Minnesota, alongside his police dog, Taconite, before later joining the East Range Police Department.

“Sgt. Siebert was well known for his happy-go lucky personality,” the department wrote in a Facebook tribute. “It was best said that if you couldn’t get along with Cody, it was your fault.”

Sgt. Cody Siebert is remembered by colleagues and community members as a dedicated officer and devoted father who left a lasting impact on northern Minnesota. (East Range Police Department)

“The hole left by Sgt. Siebert’s passing will be impossible to fill,” the department added.

A GoFundMe page launched by Siebert’s family has raised more than $107,000 as of Tuesday evening. He is survived by his life partner, Karen Blais, and their two sons, ages 1 and 2.

“To know Cody was to have a friend. He had a rare gift for connection — if you crossed paths with him, you knew you were in for a genuine conversation. He truly enjoyed people, and his absence leaves a void in our community that will be felt by many,” his family wrote on the fundraising page.

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Sgt. Cody Siebert, a K-9 officer with the East Range Police Department in Minnesota, died Feb. 27 less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with a brain infection. (East Range Police Department)

Blais told The Minnesota Star Tribune that Siebert woke up last week suffering from a headache that had begun the day before. He was hospitalized, and doctors determined that an infection in his nasal passage had spread to his brain, according to the newspaper.

“He loved people — being in that position and being able to help people in general,” his brother, Brandon Siebert, told the outlet. “Not just getting the bad guys, going to the school, checking in with people.”

The tragedy comes just months after another loss in the extended family. According to the Star Tribune, Siebert’s sister-in-law, Alyssa Siebert, died last October from a brain aneurysm.

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Sgt. Cody Siebert poses with his K-9 partner, Taconite, and Chief Tim Soular. (East Range Police Department)

“We’re in a déjà vu of an unusual situation,” said his other sister-in-law, Ashley Siebert. “They both helped others the whole time. They were both great people. They’ve done more than most 30-year-olds have accomplished in their lives.”

Like his sister-in-law, Siebert donated his organs, the newspaper reported.

The East Range Police Department in Minnesota announced the unexpected death of Sgt. Cody Siebert on Feb. 27. (East Range Police Department )

Mesabi East Schools also paid tribute, remembering Siebert as someone who saw the potential in every student.

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“The impact he had on our students and staff cannot be measured. He wasn’t just our K9 officer, he was a mentor, a role model, a friend, and a steady, positive presence in our Giants community,” the school district wrote.

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Detroit, MI

Rapper Tee Grizzley plans mixed-use apartment project in Brush Park

Published

3 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Rapper Tee Grizzley plans mixed-use apartment project in Brush Park

A new mixed-use, mixed-income apartment building proposed for Detroit’s Brush Park is expected to bring 37 units of housing to the neighborhood, according to the project’s lead developer.

The $12 million project at 205 Watson St., known as Wallace Estates, is owned by Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley, whose legal name is Terry Wallace. The 30,000-square-foot development is expected to go before the Detroit Historic District Commission on Wednesday for review. Because the quarter-acre site sits within a historic district, the commission must approve elements such as windows, brickwork, facade materials and other architectural features.

Wallace Estates is planned to be a five-story building with the residential units across the first four floors. The ground floor is expected to include a lobby, a walk-up apartment, commercial space and tuck-under parking. A partial fifth floor will house indoor and outdoor amenities for residents. The building is designed with a masonry facade and large, offset windows, according to the project application.

“Detroit raised me — I’m a west side kid, and I’m passionate about bringing mixed-income housing to my city,” Wallace said in a statement Thursday. “The 205 Watson project is about building safe, quality housing for everybody; that respects longtime residents and welcomes new neighbors — building opportunity without pushing people out.”

The project was the winning bid of a City of Detroit request for proposals for the site, said Nevan Shokar, principal of Shokar Group and the day-to-day development lead. McIntosh Poris Architects is the designer.

“It’s an infill site that’s bringing high-quality housing, both for affordable and market-rate renters,” Shokar said. “And I think it complements the neighborhood nicely with the brick aesthetic, as well as the brass inlays in the windows.”

Construction could begin this summer and be finished in 18 months, Shokar said, placing completion at late 2027.

Wallace Estates will join a wave of new residential development in Brush Park, a neighborhood that has seen nearly a decade of revitalization. Last summer, Bedrock celebrated the completion of City Modern, a nearly 10-year effort to transform a once-neglected area of the historic district.

Shokar said the building would primarily include studios and one-bedroom units, with a few two-bedroom apartments. About 20% of the units will be designated affordable at 80% of area median income, with the remainder rented at market rates.

“The highest demand that you have within this neighborhood and across the city as a whole, is to produce more studio and one-bedroom units,” Shokar said. “The two-bedroom units sometimes and larger sometimes have a hard time filling up, leasing up within buildings, and that’s why you typically see units generally smaller in size.”

Shokar said estimated rents for the new building could range from $1,800 per month for a 450-square-foot studio to $2,700 per month for an 800-square-foot two-bedroom unit.

Shokar said the team will pursue incentives including a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax abatement and a housing tax increment financing package.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com

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Milwaukee, WI

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Illegal dumping plagues closed Pick ‘n Save

Neighbors say since a Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

MILWAUKEE – Neighbors say since the Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

Trash piling up

What we know:

There are old mattresses and furniture in the parking lot. There are piles of garbage at the entrance of the old grocery store. Behind the building, there are tires, more mattresses and more trash.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Pick ‘n Save stores closed in July 2025. Since then, the building has sat empty.

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FOX6 News was contacted by a man who manages senior and family housing in the area. He said in the last couple of months, he has noticed the stile turn into a place for illegal dumping. The man said he was so fed up, he called the office of Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper about the problem. The man said the whole site is an eyesore, and something needs to change.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Change sought

What they’re saying:

“As the snow melts, it’s full of garbage. People are dumping furniture on it, tires,” said Jeffrey Sessions, who manages nearby property. “If you drive around it, it’s garbage everywhere. It’s unsightly for the neighborhood, and it’s probably going to create rats and mice problems.”

FOX6 News reached out to the Department of Neighborhood Services. Officials said the dumping has not been reported. They said the department’s commercial team will now be made aware of the issue.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

“It makes the whole neighborhood look like garbage, like nobody’s taking care of anything around here,” Sessions said. “It’s a detriment, it’s unsightly, and it needs to be addressed.”

Illegal dumpers could face fines

Dig deeper:

If the dumpers are caught on camera, they could face fines.

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The owner of the property may also be ordered to clean it up.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Source: Information in this post was provided by a person who owns property near the former grocery store, as well as Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews

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