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Community Corner

Mendota Heights Vendor Offers All Minnesota State Fair 'Food Groups'

It all started with deep-fried mushrooms in Heritage Square. More than 30 years later, John Tysseling still loves the State Fair.

When John Tysseling opened his first food booth at the Minnesota State Fair in 1975, the idea of "deep-fried mushrooms" was quite a novelty.  Just because Fair-goers are more used to the concept over 30 years later doesn't mean they are getting tired of sampling these delicious tidbits (deep-fried cauliflower is also available), which do contain a vegetable, after all.

"I've been out here at Heritage Square since the area opened," said Tysseling, a Mendota Heights resident. "I've always liked the idea of having a business outside."

Since that first foray into Fair food, Tysseling has opened two additional food booths, also in Heritage Square. He covers the protein group with the uber-popular turkey drumsticks, sold alongside steak sandwiches and sarsaparilla, at a booth featuring a giant decorative turkey drumstick securely perched overhead.

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You can't forget dessert at the Fair (no one really ever does), so Tysseling also sells apple dumplings, chocolate-covered cheesecake and funnel cakes in his third Heritage Square booth.

During the run of the Fair, Tysseling has a staff of approximately thirty employees to keep the booths running efficiently.

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"I have people of all ages who work for me. I have a lot of high school and college kids, but I have older employees, too. I think my oldest is about 67," he said.

Family members once helped out at the Fair, but according to Tysseling, all have since moved out of town.

The Minnesota State Fair is only one of Tysseling's Fair food stops. He regularly operates a booth at a fair in Colorado, in addition to  participating in other outdoor events around the country.

"I used to do this about eight months out of the year. Now I'm down to about four or five months," he said. "I like to spend the winters away from Minnesota, so that's a good time to do events."

So far, business at this year's Minnesota State Fair has been "real good", said Tysseling. The Tuesday during Fair week is typically the slowest day of the 12-day event and this year, the weather was also a little cool and misty, which was keeping the crowd down a bit.

"I enjoy being out here," he said. "It is a lot of work, but it's fun."

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