Important update: We value our longstanding relationship with the Minnesota State Fair and the opportunity we’ve had to showcase our local foods program, Minnesota Cooks, on the Dan Patch Park stage for the last eighteen years, where we connect with Minnesotans about the importance of local foods.
This year, however, with the continuing health concerns of COVID-19 and the Delta variant, we have made the difficult decision not to host our annual Minnesota Cooks Day event. We do not feel that we can ask our program participants, many with young families, to attend given the risks it may bring.
Minnesota Farmers Union is committed to bringing local foods to the Minnesota State Fair through our MFU coffee shop, featuring Minnesota farm fresh ingredients in signature items such as the Maple Nitro Cold Press, Heirloom Tomato and Sweet Corn BLT and, new this year, Cucumber Jalapeño Limeade.
Our annual free Minnesota Cooks calendar will be available throughout the fair at the MFU coffee shop, as well as other locations to be announced soon. You can also request a calendar through our store.
Minnesota Cooks Day is the premier event of Minnesota Farmers Union’s local foods education and outreach program and not-to-be-missed local foods celebration. Minnesota Cooks demonstrates the economic value-added agriculture that benefits some farmers who produce locally grown food. It also celebrates the restaurateurs and chefs who stand alongside farmers and support them with their purchasing power. We will miss gathering with you all this year and look forward to connecting with you safely at other events throughout the year.
Below are the farms and restaurants who were scheduled to appear on Dan Patch Park stage and who are featured in the 2022 Minnesota Cooks calendar. We hope you choose to seek them out and support their businesses!
Schedule of Featured Local Foods Partnerships and Recipes:
10am
Joe Cox of Buddy Boy Fine Barbeque with Dan Moe of The Farm of Minnesota
Wood Fired Beef Brisket and Honey Ginger Cabbage Salad
Seth and Elizabeth Lintelman of Cup N’ Saucer with Brooke and John Kinsley of Alternative Roots Farm
Hard Cider Glazed Apples with Celeriac, Plum, Pea Shoots N Parmesan Bacon Crumble
11am
Katherine Pardue and Lisa Neumann of Hark! Café with Nick Robinson of R & R Cultivation
Louisiana Mushrooms and Grits with Tomato Broth
Brian Yazzie of Gatherings Cafe with Angela Dawson of 40 Acre Co-op
Strawberry and Toasted Hemp Heart Salad with Goat Cheese Crumble, Red Onions and Seasonal Greens
12pm
Gwen Anderson of The Local Plate with Theresa Bentz of Get Bentz Farm and Sarah Scheub of Cannon Valley Butcher’s Block
Minnesota Street Tacos
Minnesota Cooks providing samples of Basil Lemonade, a recipe from River Rock Coffee featured in The Farmer and the Chef: Farm Fresh Minnesota Recipes and Stories
1pm
Adam Ruhland of Wild State Cider with Kirstin van den Berg of Sawtooth Mountain Maple Syrup
Pure Maple Syrup
Amber Lynn of Table for 7 with Jessica Fauchald of Clay Hill Farm
Spanish Meatballs with Red Sauce
2pm
Heidi Skoog of Serious Jam with Kerri Meyer and Jen Blecha of Good Courage Farm
Thumbprint Cookies with Red Currant Jam
Erin Lucas of Flour & Flower with Dave and Leah Schueler of Fertile Acreage Farm
Bourbon Glazed Thick Cut Bacon, Roasted Peaches, Feta and Basil Hand Pies
3pm
Britton Good and Jenny Reiman-Good of The Bleu Dog Cafe with Melodee Smith of Clear Spring Farm
Merguez Yak Sausage with Pasta and Pistou
Ben Horn and Cambria Kolstad-DeVaney of Free Range Exchange with Carrie Calvo of Owl Bluff Farm
Savory Summer Galette
4pm
Jay and Sandy Boss Febbo of Bang Brewing with Beth Dooley of Beth Dooley’s Kitchen and Luke Peterson of A-Frame Farm
Kernza® Pilaf with Kernza® Ale Vinaigrette
5pm
Sod House Theater will perform an act of their new local foods-focused play, Arla Mae’s Booyah Wagon
We would like to thank our dedicated program sponsors throughout the years: Farmers Union Insurance Agency, Farmers Union Industries and Minnesota Grown.
