There are people living among us in Minnesota with special talents. You may be one of them. You may know one of them without realizing that at home in a drawer or on a wall, they have ribbons declaring their jam, pickles, or cookies the best in the state — at least for that one year.

The Minnesota State Fair is coming up and that means if you’ve been dreaming of a blue ribbon, there’s still time. But this is the state fair, a massive event with a long history and specific rules.

Plus, it seems kind of mysterious what would give one cookie an edge over the competition — especially with so many excellent and well-practiced bakers out there. We got the advice from a baker with countless blue ribbons.