Anderson Adventures: Totfest 2011

Was a success. This is the third year we have celebrated Totfest. To look back on Totfest 2010, just follow the link! I very quickly went over how it all came to be, but I think I will give the extended version here.

So, the origins of Totfest:

Once upon a time there was a girl, and there was a boy. This girl and this boy had dated, then stopped dating, and then slowly they were able to become friends. Except then the boy thought maybe he would like to date again, and the girl said no. Then the boy asked again, and the girl said no. This continued for a while until the boy started to date a different girl. The girl was also dating someone new. The girl put space between them because her new date was not a fan of the girl and the boy spending too much time together. And then the girl came to realize that she missed her friend and wanted to see him again. She didn't know what to do about it except ask. So she sent him a friendly message suggesting they spend time together in the near future. The girl expected to hear back "Yeah ok, we will." Nothing definite, but something to work with. Instead the boy asked, "Doing what?" The girl was surprised and didn't know what to respond with and for some reason the first thing that popped into her head was "Tots." And the boy agreed. The girl knew then that there was something special about this boy she may have overlooked in the past. On a typical Thursday night, the girl went to the boy's apartment and they began to cook some tots. Then the boy wondered, "What would these taste like fried?" So they tried it. And totfest was born. To make the evening more exciting, the girl brought many sauces to dip the tots in, some delicious, some surprising, and some downright gross. But they enjoyed each other's company and a tradition was born. Shortly after the first Totfest, the boy and the girl dated again, and then they got married and vowed to celebrate Totfest together every year.

So, it may seem on the outside like something completely unhealthy, and overindulgent, and strange, but deep down, there is a story behind Totfest that is very important to us. And really celebrates an important day in our life together. Plus, we both really like tater tots.

Totfest 2010 introduced hot wings to the menu. 2011 brought us fried mushrooms and twinkies. I only fried one twinkie because, well, it turned out gross. You have to freeze them before hand, apparently so they can't soak up so much oil (being spongecake). And I didn't freeze them long enough. So we just ate regular twinkies for dessert. This was also the first Totfest in which outsiders were invited.

Evan said this about the future of Totfest: Totfest should be like MTV. It started out as just music television, but now it has branched out to much much more.

So, Totfest will branch out to become more like friedfest, and will be amazing. He also said that one day he wants to have so many people over he has to contact food vendors to buy tots by the boxful. We'll see about that one!

Our original fryer (which Evan found in a foreclosed house when he was cleaning out foreclosed houses) died and we had to rush to get a new one. Luckily they are not expensive. Also, we have an outlet on the patio so we could fry OUTSIDE and not have to have our apartment smelling like hot oil for the next month. HOORAY!