Minnesota
2023 Minnesota State Fair: New food, drinks and vendors
Traditional hummus, harissa barbacoa, corn, queso fresco, chili dust, shatta (hot sauce), crema, cilantro and pita puffs.
Location: Baba’s
Ba-Sants in Two Varieties – Everything Cream Cheese and Sweet Corn
A buttery, crisp and caramelized pastry – a combination of a bagel and croissant: Everything Cream Cheese Ba-Sant is rolled in poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, black pepper and sea salt with a scallion cream cheese filling; Sweet Corn Ba-Sant is filled with fresh sweet corn custard and garnished with crunchy caramel corn.
Location: French Meadow Bakery & Cafe
Bacon-Wrapped Waffle Dog
Griddled bacon-wrapped Kramarczuk hot dog served on a Nordic Waffle with cheddar cheese, pickle slices and crispy onions and drizzled with burger sauce.
Location: Nordic Waffles
Basil Hummus With Spicy Walnut Topping
Holy Land hummus blended with fresh basil and topped with a mix of crushed walnuts, crushed red chili pepper, garlic and olive oil. Served with homemade garlic parmesan chips. (Hummus is vegan and gluten-free; chips are vegetarian-friendly with gluten-free option available.)
Location: Holy Land
Bee Sting Sundae
Bridgeman’s vanilla ice cream topped with hot honey, spicy peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian, gluten-friendly)
Location: Bridgeman’s Ice Cream
Birthday Cake Mini Donuts
Birthday cake-flavored mini donuts coated with vanilla sugar, drizzled with icing, and dusted with sugar crystals and sprinkles.
Location: Mini Donuts & Cheese Curds
Cheese Curd Stuffed Pizza Pretzel
Scratch-made jumbo pizza dough pretzel, hand-twisted and stuffed with Ellsworth cheese curds, pepperoni and a Green Mill blend of Italian spices. Brushed with garlic butter and topped with diced pepperoni, herbs and parmesan cheese. Served with Green Mill pizza sauce.
Location: Green Mill
Cheesecake Curds
Eli’s Cheesecake pieces covered in funnel cake batter, fried and dusted with powdered sugar and salt. Served with strawberry dipping sauce.
Location: LuLu’s Public House
Chicken Momo With Tomato Chutney
Blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper. Served with tomato chutney. (Available Aug. 24-29 only) (New Vendor)
Location: Midtown Global Market’s MomoDosa
Cloud Coolers in Three Flavors
Three choices of lemonade served with a cotton candy cloud spun onto the drinking straw: Summer Strawberry – strawberry lemonade topped with strawberry fields cotton candy; Happy Huckleberry – huckleberry lemonade topped with blackberry jam cotton candy; and Flower Power – violet lemonade topped with lavender love cotton candy.
Location: Spinning Wylde
Crispy Lutefisk Steam Bun
Steamed lotus bun filled with a blend of cabbage, carrots, cilantro and yum yum sauce, plus Olsen Fish Company lutefisk brined in salt water for 12 hours, covered in sweet hoisin sauce, then baked and topped with sesame seeds.
Location: Shanghai Henri’s
Crunchy Balboa
Deep-fried tortilla filled with vegan roast beef, bacon and cheese sauce, plus peppers, onions and a hashbrown patty. Served with vegan Follow Your Heart seasoned sour cream. (Vegan)
Location: The Herbivorous Butcher
Dill Pickle Cheese Curd Taco
Fried white cheddar cheese curds, sandwich stacker dill pickles, cream cheese, lettuce and raspberry chipotle sauce in a fried flour tortilla. (Vegetarian)
Location: Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos
Donut Delights
Mini donuts wrapped in bacon, on-a-stick, then deep-fried, topped with a layer of peanut butter and drizzled with raspberry dessert sauce.
Location: Coasters
Fried Butternut Squash Ravioli
Deep-fried butternut squash ravioli sprinkled with maple cinnamon sugar. Served with a side of whipped ricotta. (Vegetarian)
Location: Oodles of Noodles
Fruity Cereal Milk Biscuit
A Betty and Earl’s biscuit made with fruity cereal milk and cereal bits, drizzled with icing flavored with fruity cereal, and topped with more cereal bits.
Location: LuLu’s Public House
Galabao
Traditional Hmong-style steamed bun stuffed with ground pork, egg and spices – a recipe from Chef Yia Vang’s mom. Served with choice of Krunchy Chili Oil, Kua Txob Hot Pepper Sauce or Lemongrass Scallion Dressing.
Location: Union Hmong Kitchen
Holey Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich
Hamline Church Dining Hall hamloaf, tangy glaze, caramelized onions and cheese in a sandwich made with fried egg-in-a-hole toast.
Location: Hamline Church Dining Hall
Hot Honey Cheese Sticks
Fried Halloumi cheese topped with hot honey and honeycomb crunch. (Vegetarian)
Location: The Blue Barn
Irish Butter Ice Cream Over Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toast
Ice cream made with European-style butter served on brown sugar cinnamon toast, drizzled with butter syrup and sprinkled with sea salt flakes.
Location: Blue Moon Dine-In-Theater
Italian Duo Dunkers
Two Italian-themed hand pies with seasoned parmesan crusts: one with sausage, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese in a 7 Vines Winery red wine-infused pizza sauce; and one with chicken, mushrooms and spinach in a creamy garlic alfredo sauce. Served with garlic butter dipping sauce.
Location: Sara’s Tipsy Pies
Jam’nades in Two Varieties – Blueberry Mint and Strawberry Jalapeño
Organic lemonade infused with locally made jams in two varieties: Blueberry Mint Jam’nade with a spoonful of blueberry jam and topped with mint sprigs; Strawberry Jalapeño Jam’nade with a spoonful of strawberry jam and jalapeño slices. Served with a boba tea straw. (Vegan, gluten-free)
Location: Jammy Sammies by BRIM
“Kind of a Big Dill” Pickle Lemonade
Lemonade mixed with tangy dill pickling spices, craft brewed by Urban Growler and garnished with a crunchy slice of pickle. (Non-alcoholic)
Location: Nordic Waffles
Lemonade Sorbet
Lemon sorbet made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest and mint garnish, served in a frozen half-lemon shell. (Vegan, gluten-free)
Location: Quench’d: Lemonade/Bottled Water
Loaded Lobster Fries
Lobster in garlic and herb butter, served on a bed of french fries sprinkled with OLD BAY® Seasoning, topped with bacon, drizzled with homemade chipotle mayonnaise, and garnished with green onion and a lemon wedge.
Location: Cafe Caribe
Maui – Sota Sticky Ribs
Slow-smoked St. Louis-style ribs, caramelized with RC’s Sticky Huli Huli sauce and seasoned with furikake, green onion and cilantro.
Location: RC’s BBQ
Miami Mango Pickles
Dill pickles infused with Miami mango punch.
Location: Soul Bowl
New vendor: Afro Deli
Afro Deli serves Sambusas in three varieties – beef, chicken or veggie, fried triangle-shaped pastries with choice of meat or lentils, mixed with onions, garlic and cilantro, and served with “Basbaas,” a spicy Somali dipping sauce made with fresh chili peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, onions and lemon juice; Sweet Plantains, pieces of ripe plantains fried until golden brown (vegetarian); Somali Tea, a fragrant, spiced infusion of tea leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, served hot or iced (vegetarian); and fresh mango juice (vegetarian).
New vendor: Churros & Aguas Fresca
Churros & Aguas Fresca serves bags of churros with caramel or fudge sauce; churros filled with strawberry, Nutella® or Bavarian cream; churro sundaes with vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream; and aguas frescas in watermelon, mango, pineapple and strawberry lime flavors.
New vendor: MomoDosa
MomoDosa serves official new food Chicken Momo With Tomato Chutney (blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper and served with tomato chutney). Plus, Masala Dosa (South Indian crepe of rice and lentil batter, ghee, and served with tomato chutney and coconut chutney); Veggie Pakora (shredded cabbage and onions dipped in chickpea batter, fried and served with mint and cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney, vegan and gluten-free); and Mango Lassi (smoothie made with mangoes, yoghurt, powdered cardamom and cloves).(Aug. 24-29 only)
New vendor: Peachey’s Baking Company
Peachey’s Baking Company serves Amish doughnuts made on-site using old Amish recipes, topped with vanilla glaze and served warm; Peanut Butter Cream Doughnut, an over-sized Amish doughnut topped with house-made vanilla custard, peanut butter crumbles and whipped cream; and Southern Sweet Tea, a fresh-brewed tea sweetened with cane sugar.
New vendor: Tasti Whip
Tasti Whip serves Dole Soft Serve in pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon flavors; Dole Floats with pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon-flavored Dole Whip in pineapple juice; Dole pineapple juice; and bottled water.
New vendor: Wow Fudge
Wow Fudge serves more than 70 varieties of gourmet, handcrafted, old-fashioned copper kettle fudge, including new custom Minnesota State Fair flavors – Strawberry Rhubarb, Blueberry Cheesecake and St. Paul Pickle.
Paletas in Two Flavors – Dill Pickle Lemonade and Mini Donut
Mexican frozen treats on-a-stick in two flavors made locally by La Michoacana Rose: Dill Pickle Lemonade Paleta is lemon-flavored, water-based and includes dill pickle slices (vegan); Mini Donut Paleta is vanilla ice cream with mini donut bits and a whole cinnamon mini donut inside (vegetarian).
Location: Hamline Church Dining Hall
Pickle Fries
Crispy, tangy thin-cut dill pickle fries lightly coated in a cornmeal and seasoned mustard batter. Served with a side of chipotle dipping sauce.
Location: Mike’s Hamburgers
Smoked Beef Arepa
Smoked roast beef, avocado puree, fresh tomatoes, red onions and arugula in a baked Venezuelan crispy corn pocket. (Gluten-free) (Available Aug. 30-Sept. 4 only)
Location: Midtown Global Market’s Arepa Bar
Sota-cuterie Board
Collection of Minnesota-made meats, cheeses, pickles and other charcuterie board favorites – served on an edible herb-crusted cracker “board.”
Location: Sabino’s Pizza Pies
Walleye Fritter Pops
Smoked walleye mixed with a blend of cheeses, dill pickle relish, fresh garlic and spices, rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Served on-a-stick with a side of comeback sauce and a lemon slice.
Location: Giggles’ Campfire Grill
Minnesota
Back on the road: Timbers visit Minnesota United FC | PTFC
Fresh off their 4-2 comeback win against the Earthquakes on Wednesday, the Portland Timbers (11th, 3-6-4, 13pts) get back on the road to take on Minnesota United FC (2nd, 6-2-3, 21pts). It’s their first encounter in 2024, and The Loons are flying high having won three of their last four matches, good enough to put them second in the conference. The Timbers will look to harness the second half energy from Wednesday’s win to pull out their second road victory of the season this Saturday.
Kickoff from Allianz Field is set for 5pm PT.
🖥️ TV/Streaming: Live coverage available in English and Spanish on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Enjoy 25% off for the rest of the season when you subscribe today.
🍺 Pub Party: We’re gathering at Hop Haven to cheer on the boys! Click below for more information.
Minnesota
Women, kids and the future of fishing: thoughts off the Minnesota opener
The goodwill that exists among Minnesotans for conservation of the state’s natural resources and especially for preservation of outdoor traditions — fishing among them — is unbounded.
That was among my thoughts last weekend during the inland walleye and northern pike opener, which some friends and I spent on Lake Winnibigoshish (“Winnie”) while fishing out of McArdle’s Resort on Winnie and nearby Paradise Resort on Moose Lake.
On the season’s first day, Winnie was loaded with boats, most carrying an average of three anglers. An hour’s drive north or so of that giant lake, Upper Red Lake also was crowded, as were, not far away, Leech and Cass lakes.
Department of Natural Resources conservation officer (CO) Andrew Goodman of Perham concurred the opener was bustling, saying it was the busiest he’s seen in recent memory.
CO Aaron Larson of Tower agreed, reporting a busy opener on Lake Vermilion, while CO John Slatinski IV, working out of Ray, said he couldn’t remember a recent opener as hectic.
Fishing license sales just before the opener were 7% higher than a year ago, confirming the officers’ observations.
While waiting last weekend in long lines at bait shops and at boat launches, and while trolling a quarter-ounce jig in 12 feet of water on the opener (fishing partners Joe Hermes, Steve Vilks, my wife, Jan, and I had good luck), these were two of my observations:
- More women are fishing now than in previous years, a trend that in my view must continue for fishing to remain the state’s premier outdoor activity.
- Perhaps counterintuitively, given the meteoric rise in popularity of competitive fishing in Minnesota among 7th-12th graders, fewer young people appear to be fishing on the opener — and at other times — than has been the case in Minnesota historically. (This could be because many school fishing competitions are for bass, not walleyes.)
The two issues are connected in my view, and how they play out, alone and together, will help determine whether fishing, Minnesota’s premier outdoor pastime, continues to thrive or suffers.
The issue is important to everyone, not just anglers, because fishing is second only to camping in the amount of money ($36 billion) it contributes to the U.S. recreation economy. The funds not only underwrite fisheries management, they help ensure the presence of surface and sub-surface clean water.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, about 20% of anglers in Minnesota are women. That percentage is impressive and might be the highest among all states. But it will have to increase markedly to ensure future generations of kids are exposed to fishing and other outdoor activities in intentional ways.
That’s because women generally have more influence on how a family spends its time than men do. And given that any young kid doing anything outdoors — playing in mud included — is likely to be better off psychologically and emotionally than a kid who stares at a phone or computer all day, more women (and men) of the future will, in my view, have to help kids make healthier choices, including some that include rods, reels and lures.
Diane Scott, a Future Anglers of Minnesota (FAM) board member, believes fishing might hold special promise for a kid’s development.
“Our group probably interacts with 250 kids a year,” Scott said of FAM. “This includes Callan Wagner, my grandson, who was my biggest reason for getting involved with FAM.”
As proud as Scott is of 13-year-old Callan’s developing angling prowess, she’s prouder still of the fundraiser he and other FAM kids participated in. Soliciting pledges for every fish they caught in a winter tournament, Callan raised $6,885 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, while fellow FAM member Khloe Thorson did better still, raising $7,200 for a cancer foundation.
“We challenge our young anglers not only to develop their fishing skills but to help their communities,” Scott said.
Meanwhile, Women Anglers of Minnesota (WAM), the fishing group founded in 1977 to introduce women to the joys of fishing, continues to thrive. On June 8 on Lake Osakis, the group will host its 46th WAM Open Water Fishing Tournament, and members also will volunteer June 15 at Buffalo Days Fishing Klinics for Kids, and June 28 at the Jiggin’ with Kids nationwide virtual fishing tournament.
Impressively, WAM also sponsors 25 high school fishing teams and, in Minnesota, also sponsors the Student Angler Tournament Trail.
Of course, these groups can’t provide outdoor opportunities for all Minnesota kids. Parents also must help attempt to counter the temptations of electronics and social media with outdoor activities. In my experience, as a parent and observer of parents, that can be an uphill climb if a child isn’t brought to a park or similar environment by age 2 or 3, and isn’t soon thereafter taken camping, hiking, biking, fishing or otherwise doing something outdoors.
Which is why the seeming absence on this opener, as on previous openers, of young people is worrying. Not only because the future of fisheries and clean water depend on continued participation by the masses, but because society will benefit if more people spend more time outdoors.
A retired Twin Cities teacher and expert angler, Kay Hawley agrees.
A member of three fishing clubs — Minnesota Valley In-Fisherman, Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited and WAM — Hawley this weekend is passing on the joy of fishing by helping to host the Minnesota Angler Meet-Up at Vermilion Dam Lodge on Lake Vermilion.
“We have 30 anglers here representing the three clubs, and by joining forces and learning from each other, each of us will have a greater opportunity to positively impact the Minnesota fishing community,” Hawley said.
Then she went fishing, as she should.
Minnesota
Will Donald Trump be a lifeline or liability for Minnesota Republicans?
Former President Donald Trump’s visit to Minnesota is energizing Republicans as they prepare to battle for control of the state House in November.
They’re hoping Trump’s presence on the ticket, and his reported focus on winning Minnesota, will help them pick up House seats in rural areas and possibly some blue-collar suburbs — even though the former president hasn’t provided a clear boost for down-ballot candidates in the past.
Republicans gained seats in the Minnesota House in 2016 and 2020, but they did so by outperforming Trump by about 3 to 5 percentage points. And they lost a state Senate seat four years ago.
Republicans say they don’t need the presumptive GOP nominee to carry the state; they just need him to do better than he did in 2020, when he lost Minnesota by about 7 percentage points.
“Trump doesn’t have to win Minnesota for Republicans in the House to be in the majority,” said former GOP House Speaker Kurt Daudt, who led House Republicans’ campaign efforts in 2016 and 2020. “If he only loses Minnesota by three or four points, it’s likely House Republicans have a majority.”
Republicans must gain four seats in the House to win the majority in November and end the DFL’s trifecta control of state government.
Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin said he believes Trump will be a liability for Republicans in competitive swing districts. The evidence points toward the former president being a drag on the ticket, he said, since legislative candidates generally outperformed him both times he was on the ballot.
“The more that these Republicans, particularly these Republicans in swing legislative districts … continue to hitch their horse to his wagon, the more vulnerable they are,” Martin said.
Donations have poured in for the DFL since the Minnesota GOP announced Trump would headline its fundraising dinner on Friday night. Martin said the DFL has raised well over $100,000 since last week.
Minnesota GOP leaders wouldn’t say whether their fundraising has ramped up since they announced Trump’s visit.
But GOP Chair David Hann said Friday’s event presents a big fundraising opportunity for the state party. The state GOP has struggled to dig itself out of debt over the past year, reporting a debt balance of about $292,000 as of March 31, according to its federal campaign finance report.
Hann said he believes President Joe Biden’s unpopularity may drag down Democrats in November. And he said the DFL-controlled Legislature has given Minnesotans more reason to vote Republican, citing policy proposals that have prompted rideshare giants Uber and Lyft to threaten to leave the state.
“I think Republicans are going to have a good year,” Hann said. “I think there is a lot of dissatisfaction with what Democrats are doing in Minnesota.”
House Republicans are bullish about their chances to gain seats on the Iron Range, in the St. Peter-North Mankato area and in Winona. They’re also targeting DFL-held seats in St. Cloud, Northfield and Coon Rapids. Trump was competitive in each of these areas in 2020.
GOP House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said she thinks Trump’s effect on down-ballot candidates “plays different in each part of the state.”
“We’ve been very intentional about finding great candidates that are well-known in their districts that represent Minnesota well, and that’s our focus as we look toward November,” Demuth said.
Democrats are looking to pick up suburban House seats in Hastings and Lake Elmo, where Republican incumbents aren’t running for re-election. And they’re eyeing GOP-held seats in St. Cloud and northern Minnesota.
Todd Rapp, a former DFL legislative staffer and campaign operative, said Trump could boost Republican candidates in close rural districts where Democrats hold seats. But it’s more likely the former president will galvanize voters in suburban swing districts to turn out for Democrats, he said.
“It’s been three and a half years since he was president, some of the memories fade a little, they get fuzzier. You get so focused on the current administration,” Rapp said. “But if he comes in and gives one of his traditional speeches, he might take those suburban swing voters and remind them of how they really don’t like and don’t trust Donald Trump.”
In an interview with a conservative news outlet this week, Trump described Minnesota as being “out of control.” He suggested Minneapolis would have “burned down to the ground” in 2020 if not for him, and he called for “mass deportations” to address illegal immigration.
Kevin Parsneau, a political science professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, said visits by either Trump or Biden could motivate voters. He said Trump’s early stop in the state may be an indicator that he sees Minnesota as a “borderline battleground state, or at least something he makes Biden want to defend.”
Those kinds of trips could affect close races in the Legislature or Congress, such as Minnesota’s competitive Second District, where DFL Rep. Angie Craig is fighting to keep her seat, Parsneau said.
“If you think you can win it on the margins, you do it,” he said. “That is bound to have some effects on some close races one way or another.”
Parsneau said Trump supporters seem to be more energized at this point in the race than Democrats supporting Biden, who is treading lightly on issues such as the war in Gaza.
“There are marginal districts in Minnesota, and if Biden supporters in those areas just don’t turn out, that could hurt them in those races,” he said.
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