MN munchies at your doorstep
Now, I’m normally one to advocate for the consumption of local foods as much as possible. But as a transplant, there are times when I’m desperate for a hometown favorite. If I don’t have wild rice soup at least a dozen or so times during the winter, I might die (for instance). I knew a Minnesotan in college whose parents sent her jars of Gedney Pickles to tide her over until holiday breaks.
With the holidays upon us, we here at MCC felt it appropriate and maybe even necessary to provide a handy guide to purchasing Minnesotan food items – whether you give them as gifts to your favorite fellow transplants or eat them all yourself, well, that’s up to you. But don’t say we didn’t warn you that if you eat all that lutefisk, you might not find anyone else under the mistletoe.
Nut Goodies: The classic Minnesotan candy. The first time my somewhat homebody grandmother came to visit me in California, she almost cried when she realized that Nut Goodies weren’t available everywhere and she was stuck somewhere for four days without a supply. You can purchase on the Pearsons’ website.
Gedney Pickles: Gedney puts State Fair winners into production every year, and if that’s not reason enough, they’ve even even started featuring the winners’ faces on their jars. I’d love to open my Californian cupboard every day to see blue ribbon-winner Nita Schemmel’s adorable little Minnesotan face smiling back at me. You can buy them online here, or you might find them in a store in your area (see this Gedney map).
Cheese curds: I’ve already written here about the resurgence of curds around the country, but if you want to source some real Midwestern curds, Ellsworth Collective is particularly good brand (this is the type my dad sends us a couple of times a year) - you can buy from their site. The curds are from Wisconsin, technically, but I’m sure you can excuse that for a delicious bit of squeaky delight.
Wild rice: Don’t even get me started on the wild rice we find in this part of the country. I will only make Minnesota varieties from now on, and Scenic Waters is my favorite. You can find it at the Minneapolis Farmers’ Markets and a variety of local stores, or you can send the friendly farmer an email to have some shipped to your door (contact info available here). You could probably call as well, but from my experience you better have some time to listen to the farmer talk at length about his amazing product (not a bad thing, but just a warning).
Lefse: Okay, so lefse isn’t really Minnesotan – it’s Norweigan - but it’s certainly a part of the Minnesotan holiday experience for a lot of us. You can find it online in a variety of places, including Lefse Time and Lefse.com (yes, those websites exist).
Walleye and lutefisk: Here’s a good potential for some joke gifting to fellow transplants around the country. And yes, you can seriously order fresh walleye from this site and have it delivered to your house. I’m heavily considering a few walleye dinners next week …
Kramarczuk’s sausage: For over 50 years this deli has been a mainstay of Northeast Minneapolis, serving up a variety of traditional Eastern European sausages, desserts, bread, and more. I’ve been coming here with my family for just about 26 of those years. If you don’t know it, put a visit on your list for the next trip home – either to their store or to their booth at the new Target Field. You can order their sausages online, though as a warning, the shipping is a little high.
Alexis Bailly Vineyard: Full disclosure, my family (well, extended family) started and continues to run this vineyard in Hastings – the first winery to develop in Minnesota, with the apt cold-weather motto “where the grapes can suffer.” But that doesn’t mean it’s not delicious, and worth a recommendation. You can buy their wines (some developed in partnership with the U of M) on their site.
Summit Beer: You can’t buy their beer online, sadly, but for the true Summit fan in your life (including yourself), they sell other items (including an awesome Summit beer coozy) on their site.
Pronto Pup: Certain members of my family go to the State Fair specifically to have a Pronto Pup, and for no other reason. If you want to show your Pronto Pup pride, or make them for yourself at home, check out the variety of gifts and food items on their website.
Honeycrisp apples: Perhaps the best apples on the planet? I do believe so. I actually squealed a little when I found out I could order them online. My suitcases returning from summer and fall visits to MN have just reduced their weight by about 10 pounds. You can buy them online at honeycrisp.com.
Famous Dave’s products: Now in a variety of places around the country, Famous Dave’s restaurants started in Minneapolis and is still a hometown favorite. Missing that Rich & Sassy BBQ flavor? You can order this and many other varieties at their site.
Ames Farm honey: When I put this in my tea in the morning, I like to think about Minnesotan bees. But in all seriousness, this honey is GOOD. Like, Minnesotan good. Order it at their site.
B.T. McElrath: Did you even know there were Minnesotan chocolatiers? I’ve been eating B.T.’s most delicious chocolates ever since my formative years working at Turtle Bread Company. And now you can order chocolates for your sweetie (again, that could be yourself – no judging) online at their site.
Looking for something else? There are a few websites that can direct you to hometown favorites or Minnesotan gourmet goods, including:
http://foodzie.com/map/ - this site helps you find local food artisans wherever you are. Enter a Minnesotan zip code to find local producers that sell their products on the site.
http://www.localfoods.umn.edu - this site provides an extensive directory of Minnesota producers. The list includes mainly produce farms, but also wool, jarred and canned items, meat products, and more.
Headed into MSP for the holidays? Just a note that you can enjoy local eats to take along with you on the flight. This great City Pages article outlines the development of great local restaurant and vendor options at the airport.
