Just about anywhere you travel around the state this time of the year there is a county fair to attend. Most of the fairs are held in the last two weeks of July until the middle of August. This corresponds with the state fair the last week of August to Labor Day in September. An occasional fair is held in September in Minnesota however they have been preceded with a 4-H show for the members to be eligible for the state fair. I attended the state fair every year I was old enough except the first year when it was canceled because of the polio epidemic. The last year I served as an assistant in the 4-H building and was there for 15 days. We assisted the judges for a couple of days and then were monitors in the dorm and other assignments. The last day was clean up after Labor Day. It was a unique experience and certainly beneficial for my home economics major at the U of M. I was privileged to be a judge after we married and went to all the counties in the area plus the state fair. I judged both 4-H and open class and retired just a few years ago. Sometimes it was early mornings and other times it was late at night before we finished. We tried to make comments on the exhibits that would be beneficial and a learning experience for the exhibitor. I recall one 4-Her who was more than excited about her entry except as we visited her mother had taken the picture and brought it to be developed and all the other steps in preparing it. She pointed out she was in the picture so I concluded none of it was her work. We continued the discussion of what she could learn in photography and hopefully, she learned why she received a white ribbon and almost a disqualification. Only one time did I have to excuse myself after tasting an exhibit. It may have been a spoiled egg or rancid shortening. Not good. In all the years that was the only time. Some exhibits were so good it was difficult to leave them alone. I sort of miss going to all the fairs now but have great memories of the young people and others that I worked with. All in all, I still believe we have one of the best fairs around. See you in just a couple of weeks at the Murray County Fair August 14-17.
I admit I am not a great fan of real spicy food although I do like to try different flavors. A while back we had a family gathering and a grandson-in-law brought sushi along with some wasabi. I had seen this in so many recipes in the food magazines I subscribe to and wondered what the flavor was. I thought he would roll off his chair laughing so hard when he saw my portion of the spice. Well, I knew enough to try only a small piece and he said just wait a minute to get the full flavor of it. I had a college roommate that refused to go a Swedish smørgåsbord as she claimed the food was much too bland for her taste. She was from California close to the Mexican border and grew up with hot spicy food. Will I buy wasabi, probably not. It is always good to start with just a bit of any spice as you can always add more to get the right flavor for your palate. I haven’t tried the spicy sweet corn as even the corn says it should be sweet. I doubt the four ears would be enough for four servings although it should be with all the butter we add to it. Some other additions I have read about are mayonnaise with wasabi paste and lime juice, or honey with hot sauce and a pinch of salt and cayenne, or pimiento – mayonnaise-cheese and cayenne, or just about any other herb you may like. Hopefully, there will be plenty of sweet corn this year even with all the rain and wind we have had. The weather has certainly taken a toll on the gardens and fields this year.
Grilled Spicy Corn on the Cob
4 large ears sweet corn, husks removed
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeno peppers
Place each ear of corn on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18×12 inches) Combine butter, thyme, hot pepper sauce, and bouillon granules. Brush over corn; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon jalapeno. Seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat until corn is tender, 15-20 minutes. Open carefully to allow steam to escape. 4 servings.
Creamy Dilled Cucumber Salad
2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups(12 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup snipped fresh dill
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Place cucumbers in a colander over a bowl; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand 15 minutes. Squeeze and blot dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in cucumbers. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Makes 6 servings.
Zucchini Cakes with Herb Sour Cream
Herb Sour Cream:
2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Zucchini Cakes:
3 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Make the herb sour cream: Whisk the sour cream, chives, and dill together. Set aside.
Mix the zucchini, bread crumbs, parmesan, basil, oregano, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, then stir the egg mixture into the zucchini mixture.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Working in batches, form patties with the zucchini batter (about 1/4 cup for each) and add to the skillet. Pan-fry the cakes until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Serve while hot and crisp with the herb sour cream. Serves 6 to 8
