Still A Day At The Fair

Thanks to the pandemic all the state fairs are on hold this year. Gone are the contests and the rides.Worst of all gone are the fun foods everyone loves and are the backbone of the fairs. Yet some food truck entrepreneurs are making the best of the situation.

Well known food writer Marissa Conrad wrote about the plight of fair food vendors in yesterday's New York Times Food section. State fairs are known for their different takes on classic foods. This is where fried butter was born and deep fried turkey legs were created. Now the fairs throughout the country are completely closed and it's hard for them to make any kind of income. However some are finding creative ways to keep the food trucks going.There's even an app , created by a fair food enthusiast along with a Facebook group, Fair Food Finder has a whopping 179,000 members plus a Google map of 139 Minnesota vendors Some fans found their fix at the Anoka County Fairgrounds where three vendors parked. They were in traditional state-fair trailers and sold not just fries but also ice cream, cheese curds  and freshly fried mini doughnuts. The fair can come to you too. Stephanie Shimp once made her fair treats in the famed Blue Barn, a fixture at the Minnesota State Fair. She took out a loan and bought a decommissioned grocery truck , Now she travels throughout the state, selling her best loved recipes.There's chicken in a waffle cone and Nashville chicken on a stick.

The state fair can come to your block too. Again Ms. Shimp was hired to feed Corey Mathisen's block party in early August. There was social distancing and mask wearing but everyone did have a good time. It wasn't just about eating. He invited a group of kids to raise money at the event. One group, Kamryn and Friends collected more than $70,000 for food relief drives and Minneapolis area businesses. Some of there were Black owned and destroyed during the unrest after the George Floyd incident). Brenda Smith Parish tried another route. Since she couldn't sell her food at the Des Moines State fair she sent out a social media blast and hoped for the best. It worked. Between 500 and 600 cars show up each week for her gyros, corn dogs and lemonade. Her parents also are vendors and this has helped them too with their stands, All American Grill and Turkey Time. There's even an acoustical guitar player that plays for visitors. For those who don't have this luck, there is State Fair To Go.It's based in Minnetonka, Minnesota and sells boxes full of all sorts of state fair  treats for $59.95. There's Elliot's Up North Corn Dogs, Rosie's French Fries and Sweet Martha's cookies to enjoy.

There may not be any state fairs this year. However you can still enjoy the treats at home or in your driveway. At least it's a taste of the fair , much needed during these  stressful times.