The Minnesota State Fair… the Great Minnesota Get-Together… whatever you call it, there’s no denying it’s an experience.
This summer I had the honor of being invited by Renewing the Countryside to showcase Tasty Tin® alongside other Minnesota food makers in the Eco Experience building. On August 24th, I packed up my Yetis, seasoning blends, and three big-batch recipes to serve to thousands of fairgoers wandering through the crowds.
The fair itself? Bananas. Truly. The second-largest fair in the country (bigger than Texas in daily visitors!) and absolutely packed with people. Between bites of cheese curds, bacon on a stick, and deep-fried everything, folks still found their way over to my table to sample something a little different:
✨ Garlic Dust Orzo Salad with a bright vinaigrette
✨ Pryme Thyme Orzo Salad with herbs + olive oil
✨ Spicy Garlic Dust Quinoa Salad with cucumbers + cranberries
The first two recipes are already up on my site if you’d like to try them, but the quinoa? That was the surprise hit. I brought less of it than the others…seriously like just a third, honestly as a gluten-free option…and by the end of the day people were coming back to tell me how much they loved it. One person even ordered Spicy Garlic Dust on the spot so they could recreate it at home.
It’s simple… quinoa, olive oil, lemon juice, diced cucumbers for crunch, dried cranberries for a little sweetness, and a generous shake of Spicy Garlic Dust to wake it all up. That’s it. But somehow, that little bowl stood tall against all the fried fair favorites.
Quinoa can be bland if you don’t give it love. With Spicy Garlic Dust, it became light, fresh, flavorful, and filling. Cold, warm, or room temp, it just worked.
And for me? It was proof that flavor doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just about knowing how to season it right.
So here’s to the Minnesota State Fair, to the people who stopped by to try Tasty Tin for the first time, and to the quinoa salad that surprised us all. Until next year!
📌 Get Spicy Garlic Dust here →
