Queenkv’s Brainpickings

Last weekend, we took a road trip down to Hutchison. We wanted to check out the Kansas State Fair and the Cosmosphere. We had a rockin’ good time at both venues.

originally uploaded by queenkv.

We kicked off our road trip with a local favorite in T-Town: Bagel Express. They make the bagels the night before…letting them chill overnight in refrigerator. Then in the morning, the bagel are allowed to rise….and then they bake the doughy circles of goodness. I ordered the Jalapeño Bagel with vegetarian cream cheese. A nice, light way to start of my morning…and very local.

originally uploaded by queenkv.

Later on, I was determined to find a healthy, local option for lunch at the State Fair. That’s when we found a trailer for Krehbiels Specialty Meat. They’re based out of McPherson and they boast of the ability to track down the origins of their meat products. I tried out the Buffalo Burger. I was pleasantly surprised by its lean and hearty flavor. It satisfied my meat cravings without weighing me down. I also added their tasty sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. Yum!

originally uploaded by queenkv.

I could not resist the Fried Green Tomatoes. This summer, a few food blogs posted memories and recipes about this garden treat. This booth had quite a few people lining up for their deep-fried specialty. They served it up with a salty Ranch dressing. I’m not a fan of tomatoes, but I liked how the batter highlighted the savory tones of the tomatoes. I’m pretty sure these are local tomatoes….from somewhere in Kansas.

originally uploaded by queenkv.

We had a taste of the Consumers’ Favorite at the State Fair: Simply Red. This sweet and fruity wine is from the Smoky Hills Winery in Wilson. I’m more of a dry wine gal, however, I enjoyed some of the complexities in the Simply Red. One guy who ran the wine booth said fruit, sweet wines were typical for Kansas. That’s because the climate makes it difficult to grow more temperamental grapes, like a Pinot Noir. He also said the average Kansas wine drinker wants something sweet and user-friendly.

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