"Taste" festival gets new flavor

Is it just me, or has the Taste of Minnesota's name a little misleading? The annual Harriet Island festival, which starts today, seems to be more about music than food--and the food they do serve, mostly corn dogs, funnel cakes, and other generic fair fare has never seemed particularly Minnesotan. Does the event really give you a Taste of Minnesota? Maybe just a nibble.

That might change when new owners--Cities 97's Brian Turner and event promoter Kevin Campbell--take over next year. According to an MPR report, they hope to spice up the fare by including more celebrity chefs and ethnic food.

If they're looking for ideas, I'd suggest they check out some of the vendors at the Midtown Global Market, and what places like Brasa and Chef Shack are doing with local ingredients. Next year, perhaps, the 5-8 will serve a Juicy Lucy made with Thousand Hills beef and Shepherd's Way cheese, and we can bite into the best our state has to offer.