August 2, 2015

2015 Wright County Fair, Pie Eating Finals, Howard Lake, MN


You're probably going to have a good day if it starts out with this sign. 

Having qualified at their pie eating contest a couple of years ago, I got through this year's Friday qualifier in first place. It felt pretty good and people seemed excited. I guess ~20 or so years of eating meals with siblings hanging on for every extra uneaten scrap paid off. 

The finals were a couple days later, on Sunday. I decided I'd allow the excitement people had for the feat on Friday propel me through another quarter of a pie and the final round on Sunday. At the very least I'd be eating another piece of free, homemade pie (go Waverly Cafe!). At best I'd win cash and the right to be called the champ. In actuality, a food challenge is something I've wanted to see through for a while now.  



A quick primer on the contest rules, as I know them: 
- every person is served a quarter of a standard 9" pie (about two "normal" pieces)
- it's always been cherry pie, as that filling shows up best on the face for the audience
- you can only use your mouth to eat, hands/arms are placed behind your back
- contestants must clean the plate leaving nothing bigger than the size of a dime, though I've heard nickel too
- first one with a clean plate wins, though that has not meant it has to be chewed and swallowed, just off the plate


The finals proved much more contested than the qualifier, including a recently de-throned county fair queen and a pre-teen boy that seemed extra hungry. However, I was able to bring home of the cash and glory. My quick calculations from video prove me cleaning my plate in about 28 seconds. 


How sweet it is. See you next year Wright County Fair. 

Waverly Lake, Waverly, MN

There's a lot in this pic to know and like, but most of us won't have the whole story. In the end, not much beats a (nearly) full moon on a local lake. 


August 1, 2015

World's Largest Lite Brite Sculpture, St. Paul, MN (Union Depot)

Pretty amazing team effort for the official record, located in the Union Depot in St. Paul. Impressive.

"FOREVER SAINT PAUL"

See, the little Lite Brite things...


Harriet Brasserie, Minneapolis, MN (Linden Hills)

It was high time this visit happened, having known about this spot for some time. And what better time than a gorgeous summer morning for their pretty high-end and yet approachable brunch?


Due to our group's size, we sat inside, but both outdoor and indoor seating areas seemed wonderful. 

After a few minutes with the brunch menu, I decided on their Crawfish & Grits brunch option, with Andouille sausage and a poached egg. 


It was awesome. Not a giant, get-nothing-done-the-rest-of-the-day type of portion, but plenty for breakfast with pronounced flavors from all the ingredients (that is, I could taste each ingredient on its own, and the full combination of flavors as well). I would go back without question to try another brunch choice or for dinner. 

And I don't want to forget, the place is in an old firehouse, which has been redone by the building's owner, a architect firm, TEA2 Architects. 

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July 22, 2015

World's Biggest Pillow Fight (St. Paul Saints game)

It's official, all attendees to the Saint Paul Saints baseball game on July 21, 2015 were a part of the World's Largest Pillow Fight. To do this, the My Pillow Company handed out around 5,000 pillows to all fans entering the gates. Then, after the 2nd inning, we all "fought" for one minute. Done, back to the game.

July 18, 2015

Yellow squash, 2 ways

With the copious amounts of rain and sun we've had this summer, it's no wonder that a private CSA I have a membership to has already provided some excellent produce, including a voluptuous yellow squash. Being a solo chef, I used it two ways over the course of a week, once sautéed for pasta primavera, and once grilled as a side with a burger. Both were delicious and I'm hoping more great produce finds its way into my CSA share. Get out there and eat the rainbow. 



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