There Are Nearly 500 Food Options At The Nation's Second-Largest State Fair

Fair food makes people do all sorts of things. I once snarfed a fried Snickers at the Ozark County Fair, then gave my phone number to a boring young man who took me on one date to Orange Julius. It's been a few years since I've visited a state or county fair, but get a couple turkey legs in me and there's no telling what I might do. Now, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports that the Minnesota State Fair—one of the nation's largest fairs—is reopening with 27 new food items for a grand total of nearly 500 edible options.

First, some background. Per the fair's website, the 12-day Minnesota State Fair attracts more than 2 million guests annually. That makes it the nation's second-largest state fair, just behind Texas which boasted 2.5 million visitors in 2019. This year's Minnesota State Fair fair runs from August 26 to September 6, and the new food roster includes what the Star Tribune calls "a bit of international flair." That includes entrees like paneer pakora, sashimi tuna tacos, and esquites. The new food lineup includes four new vendors: Andy's Garage, Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts, New Scenic Cafe, and Summer Lakes Beverages. A few other options that tickle my fancy:

• Buffalo Chicken Doughscuit: The Star Tribune defines a "doughscuit" as an airy biscuit-style doughnut. This one is glazed with a sweet-and-spicy Buffalo-style icing, stuffed with shredded chicken, and topped with bacon bits.
• Caramelized Banana Pudding: Looks like we're dealing with vanilla pudding, toasted vanilla wafer cookies, caramel sauce, candied Cocoa Krispies cereal, and whipped cream. I'll raise a turkey leg to that.
• Spufull Puff: This one is a little more of a mind-bender, with mashed sweet potatoes and sweetened cream cheese, all wrapped in dough and fried. It's then dusted with powdered sugar and served with a maple dipping sauce.

With fair foods like these, who needs enemies?