A $6 corn dog sets an encouraging tone for a food crawl that quickly expands into pork chops, sirloin tips, fried fruit, pickle pie, cheese curds, Spam, turkey legs, apple desserts, deep-fried sweets and plenty more. The host treats the fair less like a checklist and more like an improvised tasting tour, stopping whenever something looks strange, traditional or simply too tempting to ignore.
That spontaneity is one of the presentation’s biggest strengths. Conversations with vendors and fairgoers give the outing a lively sense of place, and the repeated recommendations from locals help steer the experience toward foods with an actual Minnesota fair identity. The pork chop on a stick becomes an early favorite, while the sirloin tips also earn praise despite initially looking underwhelming. Other discoveries, including the caramel-apple-style dessert and sweet cheese curds, stand out more strongly than some of the headline items he spends much of the day chasing.
The running search for pickle pie provides a useful narrative thread through what could otherwise become an exhausting sequence of unrelated purchases. Detours for fried olives, fried fruit, a Spam burger, butter-dipped ice cream and other curiosities keep delaying the destination, which turns the hunt into a recurring joke. When the pie finally arrives, the payoff is deliberately modest: it tastes better than expected but works better in his view as something dip-like than as a full pie experience.
Price commentary adds practical value, although it becomes inconsistent as the day continues. Individual costs are regularly stated, including $13 for chicken on a stick, $22 for the brisket potato, $17 for fried alligator and $19 for the apple-and-ham sandwich. The host is willing to call out weak value, particularly the small alligator portion and some of the more expensive underwhelming dishes, but he eventually loses track of the running total and still concludes that the fair is broadly affordable. Considering how many items land in the $12-to-$22 range, that family-value claim is more impressionistic than convincingly demonstrated.
The food judgments themselves are refreshingly direct. The brisket potato is criticized for being dominated by honey sauce, the turkey leg is questioned for texture and saltiness, and the apple-ham sandwich is dismissed as dry and overly bready. The mini apple pie and apple lemonade also receive bluntly negative reactions despite looking appealing. At the other end, the pork chop, sirloin tips, fried fruit, sweet cheese curds, caramel-apple dessert and deep-fried Twinkie emerge as more successful choices.
The main weakness is repetition. Reactions frequently fall into broad categories such as “fire,” “not bad,” “interesting” or “terrible,” and several foods receive only a bite or two of analysis before the tour moves on. The highly energetic delivery suits the fair atmosphere, but constant interruptions, repeated catchphrases and extended searching can make the experience feel more chaotic than informative. Viewers wanting precise descriptions of seasoning, texture, portion size or preparation will get those details only intermittently.
Still, the accumulated experience makes a persuasive case for the fair itself. Crowds are substantial even early in the day, the food variety is enormous, and interactions with locals repeatedly reinforce the host’s positive impression of Minnesota hospitality. His final verdict that the fair is worth visiting is supported more strongly by the breadth of the experience and the friendly atmosphere than by any single must-have dish.
Pros
- Samples an unusually wide range of fair foods, from traditional staples to novelty items.
- Regularly includes individual prices and comments on whether portions feel worth the cost.
- Gives clear negative reactions when expensive or highly promoted foods disappoint.
- Conversations with vendors and attendees add personality and useful local recommendations.
- The long-running pickle pie search gives the sprawling food tour a simple narrative thread.
- Strong sense of atmosphere captures the scale, crowds and friendliness of the fair.
Cons
- Food descriptions are often brief and rely heavily on broad reactions rather than detailed evaluation.
- The running spending total becomes confused and is eventually abandoned.
- The conclusion that the fair is very affordable is not fully reconciled with several $17-to-$22 purchases.
- Repetition, detours and recurring catchphrases make the presentation longer and less focused than necessary.
- Some unusual foods receive more screen time for novelty than for meaningful discussion of their quality.
This is an energetic and entertaining food tour whose strongest qualities are variety, candid reactions and a genuine sense of the Minnesota State Fair atmosphere. The tasting commentary could be more precise and the value discussion more consistent, but the combination of standout foods, memorable misses and warm local interactions makes the overall visit feel worthwhile.
