Searching for one thing good to eat on the fair_ Try these meals opinions – Albert Lea Tribune

Searching for one thing good to eat on the truthful? Try these meals opinions Printed 9:12 pm Tuesday, August 1, 2023

It’s an annual Tribune custom to style meals yearly on the Freeborn County Truthful. Right here’s what we tried this 12 months:

Praeliza Fusion Kitchen

Gnocchi, $12

Pita Chips and Home made Hummus, $5

Hen and Beef Shawarma Roll Combo, $15

We’ve labored with Freeborn County Truthful Board member Troy Thompson for no less than 5 years now on our food-tasting custom. Troy rounds up meals distributors prepared to take part, and we by no means actually know what we’re going to get till we present up the primary day of the truthful, and he begins bringing in meals.

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This 12 months, I used to be pleasantly shocked to study Praeliza Fusion Kitchen out of Albert Lea, which is a first-year vendor on the truthful.

The truck is run by husband-and-wife crew Praveen Raj and Elizabeth Braun, who’ve lived in Albert Lea for 2 years. Raj, who’s initially from India, has 15 years of expertise as a chef and brings with him one of the best of many various kinds of cuisines, together with Italian and Center Jap.

They’ve already been out doing catering and occasions and began with gala’s this 12 months.

“I need to give folks some totally different taste,” Raj informed me after I went again to the meals truck to be taught extra.

The meals he creates is assessed as fusion meals, which is created by combining numerous cooking methods from totally different cultures to supply a brand new sort of meals.

On Tuesday we tried the Tandoori Hen and Gnocchi, which mixed totally different spices from India, together with curry, a private favourite of mine.

We additionally tried gnocchi with a Parmesan cream sauce and one other with a mushroom sauce. Then there was the Shawarma with each hen and beef and the Pita Chips with Home made Hummus.

One factor that was true about all the things we received from their truck was that every merchandise all had large taste — and boy, was it good!

Search for the meals truck with the globe, and also you’ll know you’re on the proper place.

— Overview by Sarah Stultz

Benny’s Bigfoot BBQ

Smoked Chop, $10

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, $10

Pork Stomach Bites, $10

Bacon Mac-n-Cheese, $7

Benny’s Bigfoot BBQ smoker is smoking, and the shaded patio is open from 11 a.m. to midnight each day close to the Grandstand! Ben Berhow, an ALHS graduate and his household (spouse Marie, his dad and his mother-in-law), will welcome you with their real friendliness and completely smoked pork and sides!

An entire seasoned loin goes into the smoker and the smoked bone-in chop is minimize instantly from the loin/rib (beforehand they used pre-cut chops). It’s cooked to perfection and is a really wholesome sized portion.

The pork tenderloin sandwich was served on a bakery recent bun and was actually scrumptious.

They’ve three totally different sauces to select from: the 2 home sauces are the standard BBQ sauce, which is good and smoky, and the Texas Gold is a mustard-based sauce that pairs properly with the smoked pork. In addition they provide a traditional scorching sauce that’s not made “in home.”

The smoky bacon mac-n-cheese was completely fantastic and simply the proper measurement for a “snack” or facet dish when there are such a lot of different good issues to eat, too!

Their hottest objects are usually the Pork Stomach Bites as a result of it’s simply shareable and the Bacon Mac-n-Cheese. They stated that the mac-n-cheese is at all times requested at each catering occasion that they do!

— Overview by Michelle Rasmussen and Lisa Foley

Piggy Blues Bar-B-Que

Pork-topped Baked Potato, $10

Pork nachos, common $10, bucket $15

Loaded pork sandwich, $9

Piggy Blues Bar-B-Que. The identify conjures up scrumptious smells and flavors. Piggy Blues is well-known for excellent barbecue in our space, and they didn’t disappoint at our Freeborn County Truthful meals tasting.

The pork-topped baked potato was fabulous. Shredded pork topped a baked potato the dimensions of a softball. Add in bitter cream, nacho cheese and beneficiant slices of jalapeno, and it was topped off to perfection.

One other Piggy Blues favourite was the pork nachos. A mound of nacho chips was topped by flavorful and succulent shredded pork, nacho cheese sauce, salsa and sliced jalapeño.

In addition they had a loaded pork sandwich (crammed 2 inches excessive with shredded pork!) with kettle chips. Select from a spicy or candy barbecue sauce.

Josh, the proprietor, states he’s been part of the Freeborn County Truthful meals scene for 21 years.

— Overview by Valerie Kvale

ChillJoy Ice Cream LLC

JoyBowl $7

ChillJoy Ice Cream LLC began enterprise in 2019 with flavored ice lotions and edible cookie dough by Cory & Kayleen Peterson. They’re native Albert Lea people that solely do occasions in Albert Lea and the Freeborn County Truthful as a result of they each work full-time jobs along with their ice cream enterprise.

New to their menu for the 2023 Freeborn County Truthful is the JoyBowl. And I’ve to say that it introduced us JOY! The bowl is lined with waffle cookies and the center is stuffed with mushy serve ice cream (twist, vanilla or chocolate). Chocolate syrup (or your alternative of syrup) was drizzled over the concoction after which it was topped with a colourful array of sprinkles.

When requested what their hottest merchandise was, Cory stated “positively cookie dough.”

— Overview by Michelle Rasmussen and Lisa Foley

Verify again for extra opinions on Wednesday.