Pitchfork Fondue in Medora, ND

Deep fried steak. That's supposed to be the star attraction at the Pitchfork Fondue in Medora, ND, but I've gotta tell you, although the steak is great, the view from the Pitchfork Fondue dining area is simply spectacular. Bring your camera.

But back to the food. As any visitor knows, when you go to Medora, you have to make a night out of 1) the Pitchfork Fondue, followed by 2) the Medora Musical. My carnivore husband LOVES the Pitchfork Fondue. As someone who treads a little heavier in vegetables than meat, even I admit that this is one tasty steak. Throw a steak in a pot of boiling hot oil and it sears immediately, creating a juicy cut with a crispy crust. As a crust fanatic, I completely approve of a crusty steak. A country band plays as diners load up their metal lunch trays (yay for reusable trays!) with coleslaw, baked beans, baked potatoes, raw veggies and Texas toast. The sides aren't particularly interesting - they all play second fiddle to the meaty entree. 

The Medora Musical stage is right next door, so diners meander over after dinner, rubbing their full bellies (ok, at least I was rubbing my belly) and taking photos of the panoramic view. I hadn't been to the musical since, oh, 1994-ish, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I remember it being very heavy on the patriotism and Roosevelt history, and I remember clogging - lots of clogging. I didn't know if it would be the same, different, more, less of any of that, but even though we had just eaten, the smell of the fresh popcorn overwhelmed my senses. I had to have some NOW.

Me to hubby: "Hey, do you want some popcorn?"

Hubby: "Sure, should I go get some?"
Me: "Yeah." 

Hubby: "Ok, I don't have any money though."

Me: "I don't either." 

Hubby: "...LOL - ok."

So no cash = no popcorn. I considered diving into my neighbor's popcorn bucket, but my mother taught me it was impolite to 1) invite yourself over to other people's homes and 2) eat off other people's plates. I still break both rules on occasion, but draw the line at doing so with strangers. 

The musical was pleasantly entertaining. The twelve Burning Hills Singers do their song and dance all night, a heavy rotation of modern country covers but with some classic country, a little bluegrass, and original songs mixed in. And yes, there is still some clogging! Miss Emily Walter shines as the Queen of the West and as a longtime Medora visitor, it's great to see Bill Sorenson still getting laughs out of that old pulling-fabric-out-of-his-mouth magic trick. 

Once a year is enough for me, but there are definitely hard-core Medora Musical fans. Before the show, I ran into my friend Justin. He's been to the show 97 times over the years, and will see the Medora Musical 100 times before this season is over.

I bet he always remembers to bring a little extra cash for popcorn. 

For details on all things Medora, visit medora.com.