Minnesota State Fair: Deep Fried Thoughts on Cheese Curds, Carnies, and The Human Condition

Once a year, millions of Minnesotans step out of their air conditioned homes to venture into the dusty outdoor furnace that is late August to congregate at the Minnesota State Fair. Driven by the promise of a deep fried oasis, carnival rides, and people watching, the Minnesota State Fair is a tradition for many Minnesotans, including Ben Nesvig. In Minnesota State Fair: Deep Fried Thoughts on Cheese Curds, Carnies, and the Human Condition, Ben Nesvig shares his stream of consciousness journey at the Minnesota State Fair with readers as he explores everything from deep fried cookie dough, the thrill of a giant yellow slide, and ultimately, what prompts Minnesotans to make the greasy pilgrimage. From the introduction: Like a moth to a flame and a Minnesotan to hot dish, I feel pulled here by something primal, something so innate it eludes conscious definition. Yes, I want cheese curds. Yes, I want a strawberry milkshake. Yes, I want to eat so much my belt files for unemployment and my pants become tights. I enjoy these indulgences, but I also enjoy spending an air conditioned evening at home with a ham sandwich and a good book. Why do I come to the State Fair every year without fail? Have I been enslaved by Lady Cheese Curd's greasy golden seduction? While I get a thrill out of the food, I'd just be as comfortable eating a shameful amount of fried delicacies at a Chinese buffet without an audience of a hundred thousand strangers watching me wipe butter off my face. What exactly has led me to the State Fair over two dozen times since my birth? The unanswered question of why bothers me, like the last remaining ounce of a milkshake that refuses to be slurped into the straw. I need resolve.