It’s the beautiful season in the Fargo area. It means food – food for fun, food for party

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There is nothing extraordinary here. No Valencian aioli. The beef is not stuffed or infused. There is no tablecloth, no waiter, no food and wine pairing. Veneer designs are not on anyone’s mind.

The atmosphere is American Parking Lot, asphalt in a heatwave.

Already, I am a satisfied customer. I love street food, in all its varieties. Given the choice, I would rather stand in front of a city cart rather than sit with three forks. And the special kind of street food that seems to exist nowhere else than at street fairs, county fairs, and carnivals is close to my heart. This year, the Red River Valley Fair and the Downtown Fargo Street Fair coincide. I decide to celebrate the convergence.

Inside the tent for Fargo Fillies, I speak with Nathan as he completes another order. “It’s my first day,” he says.

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I look at him, amazed.

“But I’ve been cooking since I joined the Marine Corps. I was in Okinawa. I was in the artillery, but I always seemed to cook. I went to cooking school in the Corps.

“What is the appeal of this type of food? ” I ask.

“It’s comfort food. You’re at some event, ”he says. “You’re having a good time. You’re going to have a good meal and you’re going to have good portions.

A patient line of customers wait for food at the Red River Valley Fair.  W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

A patient line of customers wait for food at the Red River Valley Fair. W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

Across the parking lot, Iby Nemati works at the table at Windsor Waffles, a restaurant business he started a little over a year ago, decorated gourmet waffles on a stick. I can’t think of another situation where I would order a waffle on a stick, so I order the Candy Delight, with Nutella, M & Ms, and chocolate sauce. Here it is perfect. This is delicious.

Yes, context is everything. I’ve never seen funnel cakes on a restaurant menu, but at countless other fairs across the country funnel cakes are almost mandatory. There is something about the event that creates a different hope of eating.

It’s eating for fun. It’s eating to party.

Where else would you order a large bucket (bucket!) Of French fries and think you made a good decision?

There is a lot of colorful food at the Downtown Fargo Street Fair.  W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

There is a lot of colorful food at the Downtown Fargo Street Fair. W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

Standing in the Red River Valley Fair food court, the choices are almost overwhelming. Corn dog? Cheese curds ? I am looking for the longest line as proof of culinary merit.

Some time later – the queue was very long – I find myself in front of the window of the Big J’s Smokehouse food truck and I have a decision to make. It is not a trivial moment.

Do I want the Brisket Sandwich or the Brisket Philly Sandwich?

I see several people ordering the Brisket Philly, cheese sauce and green peppers, which seems too much to me if the brisket is good. All you need is a splash of barbecue sauce at the end. But even here I have another choice – sauces named Big Sweet Kick or Big Honey B. Big Sweet Kick promises “Sweet to start with a hot shot at the end.”

The two men in front of me take a Brisket and a Brisket Philly, then go through the sauces. We’re going for Sweet Kick. The other is for both, one on each side of the sandwich. “Why choose one? He asks, laughing.

This man, I think, has achieved enlightenment. It’s eating for fun.

At the window, Justin Matheson tells me he’s been doing this for about five years, handing me my sandwich. I also learn that he graduated from the Culinary Arts program at North Dakota State College of Science.

“Why is this line so long?” ” I ask. His service is not slow.

“Because this stuff is good!” “

I take a bite and realize that Justin is underestimating his facts.

A worker serves as a chest at the Red River Valley Fair.  W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

A worker serves as a chest at the Red River Valley Fair. W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

After the chest, I get unreasonable. Corn dog? Check. Funnel cake? Check. Putin? Absolutely. Not all of a sudden, however. The pace is also important. Somewhere in the background, I hear the sound of the merry-go-rounds.

The next day, across town at the Downtown Fargo Street Fair, I meet Vele Dabeski, who is running the show at the Seafood Market truck.

“Seafood?” I ask. “Why do people order seafood at a street fair? “

“It’s something different,” he says. “Jambalaya, paella, coconut shrimp, grouper. We are a different food from everyone.

“I’ve been doing this since 2006,” he continues. “We do shows in Florida from September to May. It’s a good fair.

“What’s the best thing you serve?” ” I ask.

“Coconut shrimp,” he says. I can not resist. Half a dozen shrimp, breaded and hot from the deep fryer, are distributed over the counter. They are crisp and perfect.

Seafood Market Coconut Shrimp. W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

Seafood Market Coconut Shrimp. W. Scott Olsen / Forum Special

Despite first impressions, not everything is unhealthy in fair trade food. Alex Simeonidis owns the Santa Lucia Truck, a restaurant with a long Fargo history.

“It’s your favorite Greek / Mediterranean dish,” he says. “We have been in Fargo for over 30 years. What’s the best thing and why would I come here compared to funnel cakes? It is the healthiest, most nutritious, most vegan and most vegetarian product … ”

I interrupt him. “Wait,” I say. “Is there healthy and fair food? Isn’t that against a rule?

“We have everything from Greek salads to falafel on a stick, which is a vegan product,” he says. “We have gluten-free products. We are very vegans and vegetarians.

“What are most people going to order?” ” I ask.

Alex smiles.

“Beef and Lamb Gyro.”

So that’s what I get. I find a shady spot near a building and unpack the meal. Two bites, I am deeply grateful.

The Fargo Street Downtown Fair and the Red River Valley Fair run for several days. There are a lot of vendors that I haven’t visited. Challenge accepted.

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