This weekend, I took a friend to Summerfest who had never been there before. Prior to our visit -- which was Friday night for the spectacular Public Enemy show -- I made a mental list of Big Gig "musts." Here's what I came up with, and feel free to chime in with other ideas for Summerfest first timers.

1. Eggplant strips from Venice Club -- Anything deep fried is classic festival fare, but these eggplant strips -- sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and drizzled in lemon juice -- are quite possibly the ideal indulgent Summerfest snack.

2. Wine coolers -- The Summerfest wine coolers, which are available in red or white, have a distinctive taste that's more like punch or juice than vino. They might be a real wine enthusiasts' joke, but because they are served over ice, they are uber refreshing on a hot Summerfest day or night.

3. Robby's Corn -- There are three Robby's corn stands on the grounds and all of them offer sweet corn dipped in drippy butter and a variety of toppings, from salt to crush red pepper. Don't forget to ask for post-corn dental floss and for added kicks, try to spot Speech from Arrested Development, who took over the business for his father this summer.

4. Saz's mozzarella sticks -- Deep fried cheese is never a bad idea, and when it's fried to perfection and served with Saz's delicious dipping marinara, the experience is edible heaven. Or something like that.

5. Try something new -- The old favorites are great, but challenge yourself and your guests to try something completely different just for variety's sake. On a recent visit, I bravely sampled the gator on a stick from Crawdaddy's and although it was too fatty and sausage-esque for my liking, I am glad I gave it a whirl. I can now say I've ingested alligator.