Event Organizer and President of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce Kandi Menne (right) stands with Gatlin Clarke, Becca Clarke, Sarah Smith, Kelli Steier, Hugh Ertman, and Cailynn Smith (L-R) as they are recognized for being the judges winner.
FAIRMONT– Four restaurants entered and two were victorious in the annual Martin County Blue Ribbon Pork Cook-Off on Wednesday at the Martin County Fair.
Judging is handled in two ways. Pork industry professionals are brought in each year on a rotating basis, with one or two new judges added each year, and their votes determine the connoisseur prize winners for first, second and third place.
The judges this year were Director of Events and Promotions for the Minnesota Pork Board Pam Voelkel, Pork Producer at Compart Family Farms and Pinpoint Research Operator Jim Compart and Lola’s of New Ulm owner Lacey Lueth.
Everyone who attended had a vote as well, and their votes picked the People’s Choice Award winner.
Farmer’s Daughters Kitchen (FDK) of Blue Earth was ranked first by the connoisseurs. They had a Breakfast Tower with smoked pork belly and scrambled eggs topped by shredded cheese and sausage gravy, all on top of a pancake.
Dudley’s Garage’s Lindsey Rossow holds her restaurant’s blue ribbon and plaque for winning the people’s choice first place alongside Eric Rossow (left of her) and Matt Schultz (right of her). They are congratulated by Event Organizer and President of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce Kandi Menne (far left).
FDK Owner and Manager Kelli Steier said the inspiration came from what’s a success in their restaurant.
“Breakfast is our most popular food item we have on our menu that we do serve all day, every day,” she said. “Why not incorporate the different parts of pork into breakfast?”
This was their second year entering, placing third last year. Steier said they were excited to come back because of how fun their first year was.
“Seeing the different things everybody else was doing around us,” he said. “Creativity is the best part of life.”
Steier said they were happy to find out their food was so well-received.
“It’s so heartwarming that people love comfort food as much as we do,” she said.
With improvement noted, Steier said they will most likely be back to try for the crown again next year.
Dudley’s Garage of Lakefield was ranked first by the people and third by the judges. They had Porky Nachos with baked beans, cheese sauce and BBQ sauce covering pulled pork.
This is the second year Dudley’s Garage has claimed the people’s first choice crown. Last year, they came with a BBQ rib slider topped by a pickle and including housemade baked beans.
The Hi-Lo Supper Club, also of Lakefield, finished second in judges’ eyes and third in the people’s. They had what they called a MN Twinkie, a ground pork and cream cheese stuffed jalapeno wrapped in bacon and drizzled with chipotle Raspberry sauce.
Green Mill of Fairmont took second in the people’s choice. They had a marinated pork loin double wrapped, first in Canadian bacon and second in regular bacon. This was topped with a honey maple sugar glaze and bang bang sauce on top, paired with an apple slaw.
Organizer and President of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce Kandi Menne said a good portion of the set-up work for the event is done internally by the Chamber.
“Because we have the capability of doing that,” she said. “We’ve got a great Ag Committee that helps reach out to restaurants to have them participate. We have the committee that comes and helps set up and tear down the area. There are volunteers at the cook-off. Probably 20 unique individuals come in and out of the cookout to participate and help with it.”
Menne said the event assists in showcasing area cooks and promoting pork.
“That’s why it’s so heavily backed by our Ag community,” she said. “That’s important to our area. The farmers, the restaurants, they all serve pork; the dishes served all have to be pork-based.”
The event also benefits area students by providing Ag scholarships. This year, the two scholarships were presented to Sydney Beseke and Ellie Nelson, both of Martin County West.
Beseke has assisted on her grandparents’ farm in Dunnell and has been the President and Secretary of her 4-H club. She plans to attend Iowa State University this fall to major in Agricultural Studies.
Nelson has shown horses, cattle and sheep. She currently owns two show horses and has been active in 4-H, FFA, WSCA, and NHS. She also plans to attend Iowa State to study Animal Science in order to pursue a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.
To inquire about volunteering or participating in the future, Menne said to contact via email at president@fairmontchamber.org or call 507-235-5547.
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