Fair-Weather Friends...

Over the Labor Day Weekend, we decided to attend the Alaska State Fair. We went on the very last day, hoping for good prices and minimal crowds.  Well, we got the nice prices, but boy was it crowded!  The main reason being a beautiful and sunny day, which is priceless by most measures here in Alaska.  First order of business, quenching our thirst at the Sluicebox, with Happy Aly and Sweet Caroline.

Sunny Day, Happy Friends!

As you can see, the specialized brews, a sunny day, and good friends make for a nice start to the Fair fun. I digress, however, and must get on to the real reason for our trip to the State Fair. What? The food, of course!  After our refreshing pit stop, and a little walking around and taking it all in, Dear Husband and I decided that a giant loaf of french fries drowned liberally seasoned with malt vinegar were in order.

And when I say giant, I clearly mean larger than your standard box-o-fries!  It was huge, but apparently we had no trouble making it all, and I do mean ALL...disappear.  Well, man cannot live by potatoes alone, and I knew that I must indulge in that very special treat that I look forward to for months, and that would be.......OYSTERS!

Oh lovely, briney critters of the sea, how I have missed you!  Now, as a master of indecision, I was at a moral dilemma when it came to saucing these delicious morsels.....what to choose? They had on offer my favorite, a mignonette sauce with shallots, but they had lemon juice, cocktail sauce and Tabasco, too!  Of course, totally in keeping with character, I put a little of each on. I consumed the six oysters (TEN BUCKS!!) with a haste unbecoming of a lady, and walked over to where Dear Husband was getting his sausage, pepper & onion fix surrepetitiously wiping my grinning face. 

Well, I've had a starch, and a most delicious protein, what is lunch without a vegetable?  The answer was a golden and delicious fair favorite all over our glorious country....

Sweet roasted perfection.  Naturally I seasoned liberally with hot sauce, parmesan and seasoned salt. Happy and satisfied, I felt I must wander into a similarly-themed area of the fair, and my personal favorite. The little vegetable garden at the entrance to the fair.  I don't know really why they even have this display, except to perhaps torture those of us who love to garden, but do not have a greenhouse, and therefore cannot grow anything (ok, icicles) for much of the year in Alaska.  A sampling for you......

Lovely red-leaf lettuces....it was all I could do to not reach down, and start picking and crunching on down!  On to more veggie-licious-ness....

Just look at the kale-o-rama going on here!  I had visions of Portuguese kale soup a-floatin' in my head, I can tell you.  Last but not least...

Parsley and onions, just placed here so that if I hid out until they closed the fair down, I would be able to season the meal that I would be making from the display garden, of course. 

Stay tuned for the magic that one can make with.....BRUSSELS SPROUTS!  Wha.....yes, you too can actually enjoy that much-hated vegetable of childhood.  But, there is a secret...sshhhhhhhhh.  The clue is; "It makes almost everything taste better".

What secret do you have to get those around you to eat someting super-healthy?

Eat well, my friends, and prepare for droolage...