Milk, Butter, & Eggs

[No, this is not a post on Saint Paul's grocery list.]

Although it seems like an entirety since our last NARN First Team broadcast from the State Fair, it was actually only ten days ago. Obviously a lot has transpired since then, but it wouldn't be right to not offer a proper recap.

The two main events that day were contests. Before we conducted our second annual Butter Carving contest, we had the pleasure of interviewing the one and only Princess Kay of the Milky Way.




Like the Beef Queen, she was a well-spoken and articulate spokesperson for her particular animal byproduct. She also helped us introduce and judge the Butter Carving contest. Last year, we had our contestants try to capture the spirit of Jay Larson in butter. This year, their challenge was to turn one pound slabs of rich buttery goodness into a likeness of Al Franken.

With the warm late-summer season beating down, our eight artists had to carve quickly less we have the mother of all Al Franken meltdowns.

Here's a look at the creamy art:

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

And the winner!

For a time it appeared that our forty-eighth annual Scotch Egg Eating Contest would not take place. The contest was scheduled to take place at noon. We were ready. The contestants were ready. Heck, even the ambulance was ready in the event that we had a repeat what has gone down in history as the "aught-five incident" (you eat the egg, not the stick).

But there were no eggs. It was like Thanksgiving without turkey. Christmas without presents. Easter without...well eggs.

Then, just as it seemed as if all hope was lost, she arrived on the scene. The girl
with the golden deep-fried eggs. And so once again, it was on.

For those about to gorge, we salute you!




As is fitting for the history and tradition of the event, the action and the announcing were equally fierce. One additional challenge faced by the eaters this year was that the eggs were served sans sauce. This combined with the heat caused no small amount of consternation for the contestants and expressions of concern from those covering the event.

Finally, after a pretender to the throne was unmasked, the traditional patting of the head was performed and a new winner was crowned (and the peasantry proclaimed it good!).

That put the wrap on another year of food, fun, and follies broadcasting from the Minnesota State Fair.