Recipes

The Iowa State Fair hosts the largest food department of any state fair and continued to grow this past August by adding 31 new food contests at the Elwell Family Food Center. More than 9,925 entries were submitted for judging - divided into 203 divisions and 809 classes. A record breaking 197 pies were entered. There was a total of 649 exhibitors featured in the food department for the 2016 Fair and $72,700 worth of premiums distributed.

 

These award winning recipes are showcased in the official Iowa State Fair cookbook. The Blue Ribbon Foundation currently has the 16th, 17th and 18th edition cookbooks for sale. You’ll discover fresh, new ideas for everything from main dishes to appetizers, pies to cakes, soups to salads, desserts to snacks. These cookbooks represent the talented and dedicated food department exhibitors.

 

Packed with recipes for anyone’s taste and culinary skill level, this book is perfect for the novice cook or experienced chef. I was thumbing through the newest edition and found two recipes that might give a twist to your upcoming Thanksgiving meal – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars and Sour Cream & Onion Turkey Meatballs. As I prepare to host my very first Thanksgiving dinner – I’m looking for any and all suggestions to make my cooking experience fun and unique. 

 

The very first Iowa State Fair Cookbook, Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Recipes, was released in 1983. While the book has evolved over the years, its purpose has remained the same; to highlight the Iowa State Fair Food Department.

 

One very special person in the food department is Arlette Hollister.  Arlette has been a mainstay in the food department at the Iowa State Fair for nearly 30 years. Arlette and her family have been attending the Iowa State Fair for more than 50 years, and she has spent every Fair since the summer of 1986 as the Food Department Superintendent. Through Arlette's efforts, the food department has grown from 27 divisions to 228 divisions and entries have increased from 4,053 to 10,597.

 

Arlette helps coordinate the Foundation’s special food judging Corndog Kickoff packages. This year’s winners helped judge the “Seafood Prepared in the Heartland” contest and the “Tassel Ridge Creation” contest. These were just two of the five judging opportunities that attendees could bid on during the silent auction. Keep this in mind for the 2017 Corndog Kickoff, there are sure to be different food judging packages available at the July event.  

 

The Iowa State Fair is 275 days away, leaving plenty of time to spend in the kitchen perfecting a new recipe. Let one of these cookbooks be your guide for delicious food from Iowa’s favorite summer activity!