Technology Update

In an attempt to keep pace with the ever-evolving technology of our world my computer/word processor (remember when it was just a manual typewriter?) will be down for the next few weeks.

Hopefully I will be able to reboot in early October!

Vinny Garette



Time for a clean out

     Writing for Epicurious Sheela Prakash penned an article entitled "11 things That Have been in Your Fridge too Long."  She begins by stating:

     Refrigerators are great, but they are not a place to store things for eternity.  For better or for worse, I am type A+ when it comes to cleaning out refrigerators.  I am constantly rummaging for items that have overstayed their welcome in both my fridge...and fridges that belong to others...you should keep an eye on these more perishable things:

1. Mayonnaise
Unlike other condiments, mayo doesn't last for months and months.  Keep an eye on the "use by" date.  Once open, even if that date is months away, use it within 2 months.

2. Beer
If you have a few bottles kicking around in the back of the fridge, you may want to drink up.  Most mass-produced beers have about a 3 month shelf life -- your mileage may vary with microbrews.

3. Yogurt
If you're not going to eat your way through a quart of yogurt every week, buy a smaller size.  Or use up that open container by adding it to pretty much anything.

4. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce definitely doesn't keep as long as you may think.  It's good for only about 3 months in the fridge after it has been opened.

5. Deli Meat
This should be obvious, but lunch meat doesn't last very long.  Once open, us it within a week.

6. Wine
Wait, you have leftover wine?  Well if you do, try to drink it up within a couple of days -- its quality will diminish with each passing day.  Or just use that opened bottle to make vinegar.

7. Tomato Sauce
Don't wait for the mold to form -- an open jar of tomato sauce should be used within 5 days after opening.

8. Salsa
An open jar of salsa keeps for only about a month.  So you might want to break open the tortilla chips and get snacking.

9. Bacon
Once open, bacon keeps for 7 days in the fridge.  But using it up shouldn't really be a problem.

10. Cheese
Soft cheeses like Brie and feta will only last for about 1 week once opened, while hard cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan can last for up to 2 months.  Store them properly to get the most life out of them.

11. Eggs
Regardless of the "sell by" date stamped on the carton, eggs are good for about 3-5 weeks beyond that.  Store them in the back of the fridge, which is typically the coldest part of your fridge, to keep them fresher longer.

More Fair Favorites

    

     On the second day of the Fair (it's not possible to cover all there is to see and experience in just one day) we arrive early enough to get one of the first batches of Tom Thumb mini-donuts out of the fryer.  What a great way to jump start the morning!

     One bag contains just enough for each one of us to have a few to give us a sufficient sugar rush to propel us to the always crowded roast corn stand.  It is a non-stop operation for the youth who staff the booth that sits in between Bayou Bob's fried alligator and the Italian delights.



     The corn is served piping hot and slathered in butter, freshly husked and ready to be sprinkled with salt and pepper.  And mindful of ecology the cobs are tossed in a recycling bin nearby.

     A visit to Machinery Hill wouldn't be complete without visiting the small strawberries and cream stand.  If the rich whipped cream weren't reward enough it is only the preview for the luscious strawberries that hide below, each one a mouthful.



     And before leaving the Fair the farewell salute is given with a wedge of frozen key lime pie on a stick.  It is a sweet treat that both signals the end of a diverse and satisfying culinary journey and invites us to return again the following year.



Tried and True

     After over a decade of attending the "Great Minnesota Get-Together" certain trends and customs have emerged with regard to food.  The Ball Park Cafe is the location for our traditional opening meal, a heaping portion of garlic fries.



     It's not merely some fries sprinkled with garlic salt as you might expect, but is the real deal, minced roasted garlic liberally showered on a generous tray of hot fries.  What a great way to begin our culinary journey!

     Another favorite isn't all that well advertised.  You have to know that the buckeyes are served up at the Deep Fried Twinkies stand.  You also have to know that buckeyes are peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar after being loaded 6 to a stick (Food on a Stick!) and then sold in a paper "boat" with a side of strawberry sauce for good measure.  It's a good thing there were 3 of us to share.  Two are just right, any more would send your taste buds into sensory overload.

 

     It would be unthinkable to attend the Fair without paying a visit to the Dairy Pavilion to watch the "butterheads" being created in the rotating 40 degree climate controlled kiosk.  Princess Kay of the Milky Way and her court each get their likenesses carved out of a 90 pound block of butter and put on display for the 12 days of the Fair.  

 

     And of course while there it is entirely appropriate to support the Minnesota dairy industry by ordering up an ice cream sundae.  My traditional favorite is made with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce topped with fresh raspberries.

Tomorrow:  More fair favorites!

Something New

     On my way into the Minnesota State Fair on Friday I picked up a beige colored brochure. It boldly announced the 40 new foods being offered in 2015, complete with a map locating where each one was sold.  I'm always eager to try something new, but trying to sample all 40 would be virtually impossible.  So I settled in on just a few that looked interesting.  But that meant I had to eliminate others like the Up Nort Shoreman's Lunch (battered northern pike in a fresh tomato sauce with potatoes and corn, finished with smoked pepper tartar sauce) and the Kimchi 'n' Curry Poutine (braised pork and potatoes smothered with curry gravy and cheddar cheese, then topped with kimchi and a poached egg).  I was also disappointed that I didn't have time to get to the vendor selling Grandma Deb's Snicker Bar Salad (chopped Snickers bars and Granny Smith apples tossed in vanilla pudding with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce).  And it broke my heart that I couldn't treat my taste buds to the Hot Tail (roasted pig tail coated in a scallion ginger sauce).



But I did make my way over to the Boulevard Grill to share a not so generous helping of Totchos.  And while the description did sound enticing (tater tots smothered in cheddar cheese sauce with seasoned sour cream, bacon bits and green onions), it didn't live up to expectations due to a stingy hand on the cheese sauce ladle.



The Deep Fried Ribs also sounded interesting (smoked baby back ribs, breaded, fried and served with BBQ sauce.  But somehow the cornmeal breading failed to adhere to the beef ribs when I took a bite and I all I ended up tasting was a fried meat bone.  Not even the cup of barbecue sauce could rescue that miscue.



But the hands down winner in the new food category was the Walleye Stuffed Mushrooms served up at Giggles Campfire Grill on Machinery Hill.  The mushroom caps were the size of door knobs and generously stuffed with a combination of flavored cream cheese spread, walleye, three cheeses, red bell pepper and topped with panko bread crumbs and a special sauce.  It wasn't merely a meal, it was a feast!



Good things come to those who wait...

Fun at the Fair

     

     It seemed almost easy to get around at the Minnesota State Fair last Friday.  After all, there were only 114,292 people there that day.  That was practically solitude compared to the nearly 180,000 folks who attended on Sunday.  

     Now that was a crowd!  The Fair is the largest in the nation by average daily attendance.  Last year during the 12 day event 1,824,830 people walked through the gates starting at 6am each day and running until midnight.  Getting to the Fair is very convenient with 33 special free express bus routes throughout the Twin Cities designed to shuttle attendees from remote parking locations.

     The Fair was established in 1854, five years before statehood and has been held in various locations around the state.  And in the 1870s there were actually 2 competing fairs held in St. Paul and Minneapolis!  But eventually a site-neutral location was chosen in Falcon Heights on the property that was formerly the Ramsey County Poor Farm, halfway between the two cities.  It is managed by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.  In 1901 Vice President Teddy Roosevelt visited the Fair and there coined the phrase, "Walk softly and carry a big stick."



     There is something for everyone at the Fair!  Livestock, Entertainment and Music, rides like the Sky Glider, and 2 midways. 4-H competitions, parades, art, science and ecology, Machinery Hill, vendors selling everything from pianos to farm impliments and hot tubs, pontoon boats and custom motorcycles.  All the local media outlets broadcast live from the Fair, too.  

     And of course there is the food!  You can order up a walleye taco for breakfast like I did or enjoy an open faced SPAM sandwich followed by a deep fried Minneapple pie for dessert.



Tomorrow:  Favorite foods and new finds...