ISF 2026 Food: Trip 1

I made 3 trips to the Iowa State Fair this year. They were the same traditional trips I seem to make every year. 1 trip to see the O’Gorshes dance. 1 trip to assist a team with the barbecue contest. 1 trip to pick up my photo contest entries. My goal for next year is to kind of mix up my trips to the Fair. Although, in a way my trip to the Fair got mixed up due to weather.

Through a series of scheduling conflicts I got the privilege of taking Evie and Logan to the Fair this year for their annual Irish dancing gig. Only this time, weather intervened. It was raining so hard that the dance was canceled. Unfortunately it wasn’t canceled until we were sitting in line to park for the Fair. At least we weren’t inside the Fair when it happened.

So rather than wander around the Fair in the rain. I took them to breakfast at The Breakfast Club and then to a couple of Des Moines art attractions.

Here are the cell phone pictures from my morning with them:

My delicious breakfast!

They enjoyed both the food and the eclectic decorating of The Breakfast Club.

After breakfast we went to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Then we went to the Des Moines Art Center.

If you don’t know, is a great art museum and it totally free!

After I dropped them off back in Ames I went home and took a nap. When I woke up I decided to drive back to Des Moines (the idiotic policies of the idiotic regime had only spiked gas prices to a mere $3.79 at that time… cheap) to go to the Fair solo. I still wanted to see what pictures me and my mates had got into the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and I wanted to knock down at least one of the “Best New Food” finalists.

First stop was the Photography Salon:

This picture also won Best in Show at the 2025 Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

You should notice that this photo class is sponsored in memory of the great Bob Person. A long time family friend and photographical inspiration for yours truly. I spoke to Lisa Person at the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest and she was particularly tickled that a Boone photographer and somebody that Bob had known got first place in this class. She also told me that the person that got third place in this class was a former student of Bob’s.

I will also note that Angie, Logan, and Nathanial all got pictures accepted that were clearly posed. That person that complained to me at Art in the Park that “posed” pictures shouldn’t do well in photo contests would be so sad right now.

After perusing the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon displays, I went back down the hill to try my first Best New Fair Food finalist. I decided to try the Ultimate Minneapple Pie on this trip.

It is described thusly:

Ultimate Minneapple Pie, Minneapple Pie: Deep fried apple pie served with vanilla and cinnamon ice cream drizzled with homemade apple syrup.

https://www.iowastatefair.org/media/news-releases/iowa-state-fair-top-3-new-foods-announced-2

Cast your eyes upon all the sugary goodness!

So how was it?

It was delicious! Absolutely freaking delicious! But was it the best of the finalists for Best New Fair Food? Well that is a question I will answer on a future food adventure post!