Although guests are increasingly more likely to see nutrient-rich ingredients like quinoa, kale, and goji berries on event and meeting menus as caterers respond to demands for healthier fare, America’s state fairs continue to serve up creative takes on deep-fried, cheese-smothered, bacon-flavored dishes. Case in point: The Minnesota State Fair, August 22 to September 2, just announced its latest gluttonous offerings, which we rounded up in case you’d like to add a few indulgent options to the menu for your next gathering.
A traditional glazed doughnut grilled and served with strawberry-mint dipping sauce, from Moe & Joe's
Cicchetti cones—a spiral cone of fresh-baked bread—filled with shrimp tossed in a lemon-and-tarragon dressing, a meatball topped with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese, or antipasti (fresh zucchini, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, and provolone cheese), from Mancini’s Al Fresco
Homemade meat loaf deep-fried and served on a stick with a red pepper wine glaze, from Minnesota Wine Country
A triple-decker ham-and-turkey sandwich with Swiss and American cheeses, deep-fried and garnished with powdered sugar and raspberry preserves, from the Sandwich Stop
Ice-cold caramel corn made with liquid nitrogen that leaves a trail of “comet dust” when exhaled, from Blue Moon Dine-In Theater
Caramelized bacon pieces paired with ricotta cheese filling in a fried pastry shell, from Ole's Cannoli
Deep-fried pickles dusted with powdered sugar and served with a side of chocolate for dipping, from Preferred Pickles
The Double Bacon corn dog (pictured, left), a bacon-wrapped hot dog dipped in batter blended with real bacon bits then deep-fried, and the Jalapeño Cheeese corn dog, a jalapeño-and-cheese-infused hot dog dipped in spicy corn dog batter then deep-fried, from Campbell's Flavored Corndogs
Chocolate-covered bits of English toffee baked into a fudge puppy (aka a Belgian waffle on a stick), dipped in chocolate, and layered with whipped cream, toffee sauce, and more bits of chocolate-covered English toffee, from Granny's Kitchen
Pork loin, Black Forest ham, and applewood-smoked bacon served on toasted French bread with beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeño peppers, chipotle mayo, lettuce, Swiss cheese, and avocado, from Manny's Tortas
Wisconsin cheddar cheese nuggets breaded with Cocoa Puffs, fried, and served with chocolate dipping sauce, from Axel's
A breakfast sausage link dipped in pancake corn dog batter, then deep-fried and served with a side of maple syrup, from Hansen's Foods
Barbecue pulled pork topped with bourbon syrup and coleslaw, served on a house-made corn cake and wrapped in a flour tortilla, from San Felipe Tacos
Slow-roasted split pork shanks seasoned with Mancini's Iron Range-inspired seasoning, from Mancini's Al Fresco
A sweet-cream base folded with doughnut batter and a hint of nutmeg in a sugar-spice crunch, from Izzy's Ice Cream
A grilled jalapeño-cheese-infused sausage served on a specially designed pitchfork, from Pitchfork Sausage
Extra-large, pitted green olives dipped in a seasoned batter, deep-fried, and served with dipping sauce, from Fried Fruit
Homemade specialty pork sausage seasoned with sage, caraway, and nutmeg and infused with bourbon whiskey, from Sausage by Cynthia
Grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon and served on a stick, from the Shrimp Shack
An all-beef wiener chopped into pieces and grilled, then tucked into a thick slice of Pullman bread, from Blue Moon Dine-In Theater
