1. The State Fair
2nd in size only to the big bad Texas State Fair, that's impressive. We had a great time at the state fair and particularly enjoyed the fried foods and anything you could dream of "on a stick." From cheese curds to fried pickles, to alligator and fried candy bars we enjoyed all the fair had to offer and then abstained from food for 3 days after to cleanse. Talk about prime people watching and fun times!
2. Cheese Curds
Alright, alright I know they were mentioned above but these things are crazy good. According to wikipedia cheese curds are, "the solid parts of soured milk either eaten alone or used in various regional dishes, mostly in Canada, the northeastern and Midwestern United States...Their flavor is mild, with about the same firmness as cheese, but with a springy or rubbery texture. Fresh curds squeak against the teeth when bitten into, a defining characteristic, due to air trapped inside their porous bodies. They are sometimes referred to as 'squeeky cheese.'" Now, that sounds pretty gross... but when those little boogers are fried... hold the phone because they are yummy. Groveland Tap in Saint Paul has the best cheese curds we ate in the Twin Cities. Better than the State Fair, bar none. Below are our best friends Lauren and Keith at the Groveland Tap enjoying those yummy curds!
3. Summit... and Surly Beer
There is one thing that Midwesterners, especially Minnesotans, appreciate and that is great beer. Both E and I learned to really appreciate beer and have found that we have a taste for more than we thought we would. Summit brewery was literally 5 minutes from our house and an easy cab ride to go over and see how beer is made and taste the seasonal best. Really, we will miss not having Summit, they do not distribute way down south :( Another great local brewery is Surly. Surly is really serious beer and full of taste... gotta be careful because it is full of calories too! We can't get Surly down in these parts either.
4. The Nook
Minneapolis/Saint Paul is known for is the Juicy Lucy, or the Jucy Lucy depending on where you go. A Juicy Lucy is two small hamburger patties that encase the cheese of your choice. Purists go with straight cheddar and no toppings (well maybe pickles). The Juicy/Jucy Lucy battle originates in Minneapolis with the 5-8 Club and Matt's Bar. I will not begin to try and share which is better because it is truly personal opinion and the cities are split down the middle... I will however say that OUR favorite Juicy Lucy was found at The Nook which was 2 blocks from our MN home. The Nook's "Juicy Nookie" is great but we were suckers for the "Paul Moliter" a Juicy with pepper jack cheese inside. These burgers are AMAZING. You literally have to wait about 5 minutes before biting into the burger because encased is hot molten cheese. (In all seriousness, there are little flags on toothpicks in the bun warning you about the hazards of biting in too early). My personal favorite thing about the Nook was the french fries.... oh my goodness, gracious. We were heartbroken when they had a fire that closed the joint down for a few months BUT they opened 3 weeks before our move date and we were able to get one final meal there before we left! Below is E and his friend Carl at the Nook enjoying delicious burgers!
4. MacGrove
We had the best neighborhood ever. We happened upon MacGrove during our house hunting to the twin cities. After two days of searching we were- stick a fork in us- DONE with the house hunt. We were really whooped. Well, I had seen an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featuring the above Nook restaurant and I knew we needed a break. We went and had a fabulous burger and then I started figuring out what 'hood we were in... hello craigslist. In the next 24 hours we had found a place, put the pressure on the property owner (who is wonderful) to meet us before his open house and signed a lease. It was a great house, great neighbors (especially Jay and Amanda!) and 2 miles from E's work, a very easy bus ride. We were also a 15 minute car ride to Minneapolis/University of MN. Within walking distance we also had a liquor store, barber shop, the nook, a grocery store, a donut shop and a great coffee shop. By walking distance I mean 2 blocks max. We are going to miss it!
I'm sure we are overlooking a few things but these are highlights! Love to all!
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