With a state fair that is basically devoted to food and trucks that will serve up cuisine in 0° weather, it's safe to say that Minnesotans like their food. But what do we do best?
Walleye
In the Land Of 10,000 Lakes, fried fish is a given but Walleye is king. Baked, fried and battered or on the grill, this official state fish is renowned throughout the state.
Wild Rice Soup
Another food brought to us by our abundance of lakes, wild rice makes the perfect base for a creamy and nutty soup and has even been proposed as the official "State Soup". The title was never actually made official but we love it none the less.
Hotdishes
With the cold and the snow and the whole "have fun trapped in your house" thing, Minnesotans have found a way to make winter food work for them. The main way; hotdishes. Maybe it's because people had to work with what they could find in the pantry until the next thaw or because they had to make the most of whatever leftovers they were still claiming as food. Whatever the reason, we can mix up a Pyrex dish of meat, veggies, cream and carbs and call it a meal like nobody else.
Stuff on a Stick
The Great Minnesota Get Together has cinched it. We know food on a stick. The 2013 Minnesota State Fair included over 60 different kinds of foods on a stick. We had the predictable, corn dogs and fried cheese. Or the possibly frightening, porcupine meatballs and scotch eggs. Or the ones that are really just a guy shoving a stick into regular food and calling it "fair food", shrimp (That's a kabob, dude) or ice cream (Really? That's a Dove bar). Whatever kind you favor, know that if it comes from Minnesota, it's going to be good.
Lutefisk
Hailing from the Swedes and Norwegians, this gelatinous and pungent fish is kind of a big deal here in Minnesota, especially during the holidays. Madison, MN has even dubbed itself the "Lutefisk Capital of the World" as well as claiming the largest per capita consumption of lutefisk in the United States. So, what is it? Literally, lye-fish. Dried whitefish is soaked in a water/lye solution for days until it takes on a jelly constancy. It is then soaked in cold water for a few more days and eventually ready to be cooked, served and is actually said to be delicious... by those that like slimy fish jelly.
Let's take a moment to thank the Minnesota ancestral Norwegians yet again for bringing us something we could love during the holidays. Luckily, this one makes up for the cringing that Lutefisk can cause. Similar to a crepe, lefse is a thin Norwegian flat bread traditionally covered in butter and sugar and wrapped up into a roll of warm, cozy deliciousness. Starbuck, Minnesota is the home of the world's largest lefse and Norsland Lefse, a factory in Rushford, Minnesota, produces about half a million rounds of lefse each year. Fosston, Minnesota even invites local lefse makers to compete for the title of Champion Lefse Maker at its Lefse Fest each November. You know you want that title.
