Along with everything else that I have mentioned, the Iowa State Fair is notable for a very special item that touched the lives of many Hamiltonians – as brought to them by Rob and his vision.  That item is the introduction of the Hot Beef Sundae.

Fluffy mashed potatoes lining a bowl, layered with shredded slow roasted beef, covered in gravy sauce, cheddar cheese, and a cherry tomato on top.  Festival food Heaven in a Bowl.  This concoction was the brain-child of the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters, the body of beef(?) responsible for promoting the consumption of beef in Iowa (to compliment the corn, clearly).  

Rob and I replicated this recipe and brought it to the good people of Hamilton at the World famo(u)s Festival of Friends two years ago.  Coming here to taste the original, to see how ours compared to the One That Started It All was thrilling and a bit humbling.  Here I am, standing in front of its place of birth, ready to admit defeat at the hands of our beefy masters.

Ours was better.  Far better.  Sorry, Iowa.  What happens in the cornfield  may stay there, but the rest of us will take the beef and make it better.