52 Foods on a Stick

Food on a Stick #53, Bacon Wrapped Scallops

2011-09-09T15:45:00.000-05:00

My friend Greg Frisbee spotted these:

Bacon Wrapped Scallops at the Hopkington State Fair in New Hampshire. Looks like a great Fair Food find for $7!

Fair Food Safety

2011-07-16T12:35:00.001-05:00


Poster from the Kentucky State Fair, 2010

52 Foods on a Stick has hit the big time...well, not exactly, but we got a little link in a news story.

Consumer Reports offers this article about fair food safety. It has several great tips, many that we should have followed in the Food on a Stick journey.

Be careful out there, impaled food fans.

Food on a Stick #46-#52 with Jenny at the Tulsa State Fair

2011-07-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

A Note from Johnna: My friend Jenny, a native of Tulsa, rounded up the final 7 Foods on a Stick. What a great way to end the journey, Foodie style. Read on...and enjoy!

Food on a Stick Research #46 - #52

Eaten and almost digested by Jenny Vergara at

The Tulsa State Fair 2010

Introduction: In terms of things to do at a State or County Fair, one would certainly rank eating right up there at the top.

In the early years of “State Fairhood”, one would find tents offering much simpler fare than the complex oddities that are offered today. Back then, it would have been considered a treat to enjoy a simple ice cream cone, some roasted nuts, a pretzel, cotton candy, soda pop or a hot dog. Then there is the Grand Pappy of all Fair food on a stick: the corn dog. The corn dog is one of my all time favorite treats on a stick. I love its sweet crunchy brown corn crust, and it’s hot, but tender, pink hot dog center, for me, always dipped in a bit of yellow mustard. Truly, food on a stick does not get much better than that.

As the technology in mobile cooking equipment improved, so did the options of fried things we could put on a stick. Our creative juices began flowing. No longer content with the old standbys, our mobile kitchen trucks allowed us the ability to fry almost anything that would hold still long enough to have a wooden stick shoved up its end.

Suddenly, we began seeing Fried Raviolis, Fried Candy Bars, Fried Stuffed Olives and Fried Cheese. Still clever, but these were still pretty standard types of food on a stick. Things we probably had eaten or seen before.

With the advent of Food Network and foodie culture, TV shows began to appear highlighting the best of the worst Fair food. That is what quickly set the stage for the more extreme items – Fried Conch, Fried Mashed Potatoes, Fried Alligator and Fried Butter etc. They are predicting that this year at the 2011 State Fairs across the country Fried Kool-Aid on a Stick will be the hot new food item. Can you imagine?

These mobile carts with their deep fat fryers, ovens and flat-top stoves on board, were the early adopters of our modern day street food or food truck fetish. Our earliest memories and experiences with Food Trucks in the Midwest did not happen on a busy street corner downtown, they happened at State Fairs.

So, let us wrap up the final 52 Weeks of Food on a Stick and celebrate this portable, affordable treat. . .if only once a year . . .when the Fair is in town.

#46: Sausage Roll on a Stick - In many donut shops across Oklahoma and Texas you will run across something known as a kolache. A kolache is a Czech term for the famous circular tart made of double-risen dough, with a center topped or filled with a sweet sauce made of poppyseed, cottage cheese, prunes or other fruit filling. The same shops that makes kolaches also happens to make sausage rolls from the same double risen dough. The only difference is inside of these they bake a plump sausage, just like a pig in a blanket. This version at the Tulsa State Fair was more like a toasted pita wrapped around a hot dog, than a true yeast roll. The hot dog did have cheese inside of it, which added something to the flavor, but the dough was a disappointment. Rating: D

#47: Pizza on a Stick – In my mind, I could not figure out how one was going to offer pizza on a stick. My imagination literally had envisioned a triangular piece of pizza with a stick baked in the crust. What we got instead was the biggest gut bomb of the night. It was the size of my shoe in length, heavy with dough and tomato sauce and pepperoni and cheese. It looked like a calzone on a stick, but when I bit inside I could see spiraling layers of tomato, cheese and pepperoni, as if they made a small pizza and then wrapped it around a paint can stir stick and baked it. The flavor of the pizza was average, similar to Chef Boyardee. The real issue was the pizza was chewy and so heavy that only a couple of bites were enjoyed before we realized we were not going to be able to finish it and the task at hand. So we moved on, after eating only a couple of bites. Rating: C

#48: Fried Brownies on a Stick – This rich sounding, indulgent bit of chocolate gooey goodness was something that I was really looking forward to wrapping my lips around. This was going to be my dessert for the whole night and I wanted to make it count. Unfortuantely, the reality did not match up to my fantasy. An icy cold block of brownie was taken from the fridge, dredged in a light batter and held by the stick in the fryer until it was almost golden brown. A dash of powdered sugar and it was ours to try. The first warm chocolate bite was delicious with the crunch of the crust, but as the oil began to leak out into the paper boat it was served in, we realized that this might kill us if we tried to finish it. Truth is, we really would have preferred just to eat the brownie by itself. Another thing worth mentioning is, I suppose you could have eaten it by the stick, but it was so heavy, that I was afraid to try it for fear of my fried goodness hitting the dirt before I had a chance to get it into my mouth. Rating: C

#49: Ham & Cheese on a Stick – This was, by far, the worst “food on a stick” experience all night. Billed as a Ham & Cheese on a Stick . . .again, I am picturing a Monte Cristo style of sandwich with layers of warm black forest ham and melted cheese on Texas Toast, dipped in batter and deep fried. No. Not. Even. Close. What I got was a corn dog filled with chopped ham salad and melted American cheese. It looked and tasted like baby food. It was mushy, and disgusting. I took one bite for the cause, and pitched the rest. Rating: F

#50: Manicotti on a Stick – This was actually like eating a very long, meat or cheese filled Fried Ravioli. It was golden brown and crispy with a warm and gooey cheesy center with a lovely side of marinara to dip it into. Not hugely, revolutionary . . .but delicious. Rating: A

#51: Fried Shrimp on a Stick - I knew I was in trouble when we approached this trailer on the outskirts of the State Fair, and inside were overall wearing, mullet-sporting, toothless old men drinking beer while the sign outside said “Pimps of the Shrimps.” I thought to myself this is either going to be the best Fried Shrimp on a Stick of my life, or the absolute worst. It sadly, was the latter. They had pre-cooked these Fried Shrimp skewers that had alternating hunks of white onion and shrimps, so by the time it was served to me from under a heat lamp it was luke warm, tough and chewy. So tough and chewy, that I could not even slide it off the wooden skewer to even eat it. It looked a little dodgy all the way around. Rating: D

#52: Deep Fried Butter on a Stick – The hottest new item to try at the 2010 Tulsa State Fair was the Deep Fried Butter on a Stick. We had a heck of a time locating the actual booth that was making them. Everyone we asked sent us off into the wrong direction, until finally with only 10 minutes before the Fair was to close for the night we managed to scoot in front of the right booth. Panting and dripping with sweat, we begged the guy who was shutting down for the night to make us one last batch of the Deep Fried Butter. He took pity on us, and made them for us. It was the most delicious thing I put into my mouth all night long. No lie. Frozen butter balls are dipped in batter and deep-fried into balls. The curious part is once you bite into them you do get a pleasant release of butter, but the balls are mostly hollow with the butter just cooking right into the batter shell it was encased in. It was like the best, most buttery, funnel cake you ever tasted, and I loved it, even if my waistline didn’t. Rating: A

What an amazing way to end the 52 Foods on a Stick round-up! Thanks to Jenny and all of the intrepid foodies who joined me in the fun. I appreciate all of you for your adventurous culinary spirit and wanton calorie consumption! --Johnna

Food on a Stick #44 and #45, Choc-o-Lait Milk and Choco-o-Lait Cointreau

2011-07-13T10:05:00.000-05:00

Awhile back I mentioned a fun food find from Marcyzk Fine Foods in Denver. These were spotted at the same terrific store. They are one of very few Foods on a Stick well-suited for travel. I brought these home to KC and tried them in my kitchen.

Choc-O-Lait is a block of Belgian chocolate on a stick, intended for use in a hot beverage. The company suggests adding one to milk to make hot chocolate. I tried the milk chocolate variety in a cup of hot coffee:

While not suggested for use in coffee, it resulted in a nice sweet treat in a hurry. It was better than the $5 coffee drink available at the drive-thru of my nearby coffee option and took less time to make.

The cointreau variety was used in a cup of hot almond milk, to create hot chocolate. It made the best hot chocolate I have had in a long time, with just a hint of bittersweet orange flavor.

I think the Choc-O-Lait would make a nice gift, but isn't something I plan to keep in the pantry. I might buy a few the next time I'm in Denver to pack in my travel food kit, for chilly nights when I'd love a hot chocolate that is a big step up from the usual powdered mix.

Food on a Stick #43, Zucchini Weenie with Richard

2011-07-13T10:02:00.000-05:00


Photo Courtesy of Betsy at www.BetsyLife.com

Richard spotted the Zucchini Weenie at the Big Fresno Fair . It's a hollowed out zucchini stuffed with a hot dog, then dipped in corndog batter and fried. While it doesn't quite fit the new MyPlate food recommendations, I think it is close. Add a little fruit and some sort of dipping sauce that contains dairy and you'll have a well-balanced meal, on a stick!

While researching the Zucchini Weenie, I read Betsy's step-by-step recipe for making your own Zucchini Weenie. How fun is that?!? I love this, it requires power tools (a drill) and is deep fried. Click on over to
a DIY Zucchini Weenie from BetsyLife for the full scoop on how to make this yourself!

Food on a Stick #41 and #42, Chicken and Pork Svoulaki

2011-07-12T14:02:00.000-05:00

We went to the 49th annual Greek Festival at the Annunciation Church in Kansas City and met friends there for an afternoon of eating and music. There were only a couple of Food on a Stick items at the festival, both thin pieces of meat on a skewer, Svoulaki.

Here's where you have to use your imagination to picture what it looks like. The photos, all of them, from the Greek Festival, have gone missing. The photos of Todd eating pork Svoulaki and Emily eating chicken Svoulaki have flown the coop. The photo of the $25 box of Greek pastries my husband bought from the church ladies is gone.

It was a fun place to round up food on a stick. I'll keep looking for the photos and you keep looking for more food on a stick for us to try!

Food on a Stick #40, Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes with Zaq

2011-06-28T19:11:00.000-05:00

Zaq made this find at the South Plains Fair in Lubbock, Texas. It's Bacon Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes on a stick, served with a side of ranch. Of course it was ranch...

Zaq said this, "Awesomeness on a stick! It had bacon chunks in it with the melty cheese. Crispy, light batter on the outside." He mentioned they also had a garlic version and said it was good, too.

Food on a Stick #39, Cotton Candy

2011-06-28T19:00:00.000-05:00

There was much debate with my fellow Food on a Stick fans as to whether or not Cotton Candy qualified as Food on a Stick. It's not exactly on a stick, it's on a paper cone. It's also one of my very favorite foods, so I decided it counts.

Cotton Candy was introduced at the 1904 World's Fair. It was called Fairy Floss then, but by the 1920's it was referred to as Cotton Candy. I imagine it was probably a pretty expensive treat in those days with sugar shortages. Today it's cheap, I saw some for less than a buck at the convenience store recently.

Friends tease me about the amount of cotton candy I consume over the Summer. But it could be something deep fried and chocolate-y instead! I prefer the 100 calorie Food on a Stick, thank you. And in that photo above, I'm eating it for breakfast. Yep, healthy living.

Food on a Stick #38, Brains on a Stick with Zombies

2011-06-28T18:49:00.000-05:00

While working in Louisville at the Kentucky State Fair, I heard there was going to be a Zombie Walk on Bardstown Road, one of my favorite areas of the city. It was advertised as an attempt to break the world record for largest gathering of zombies, 4,200. This sounded like a place great Food on a Stick photos!

The good folks at Murphy's indulged me with a few red popcorn balls, Brains on a Stick. Off I went with John to the Zombie Walk, scheduled to start at 8:29 on August 29th. Get it? There's some sort of weird zombie symmetry in that.

We waited with hundreds of onlookers along the side of Bardstown Road for the Zombies to begin their walk. Groups gathered at opposite ends and met in the middle, making for a visual feast of odd costumes in every direction. I saw roller derby zombies, parrothead zombies, skate boarding zombies and even a couple of burlesque dancer zombies.

While I never heard if the World Record was broken, there were more zombies than I ever imagined seeing in one place. It was one of the most fun, yet odd, things I've done in Kentucky. Louisville continues to surprise me with how liberal it is in some regards and how staunchly conservative it is in others. The balance works great--and allows for wackiness like the Zombie Walk.

*Disclosure: The folks at Murphy's provided the Brains on a Stick to me at no charge. The opinions expressed here are my own, my brain was not ravaged by zombies.

Food on a Stick #37, Chocolate & Butterscotch Dipped Banana with Sprinkles, with Melissa

2011-06-28T18:36:00.000-05:00

I mentioned a few posts back when I was having that Butterscotch Dipped Banana with Nuts that it would have been possible to do a study on Dipped Bananas. Well, here's another one!

Melissa, this time without her mom, had a chocolate and butterscotch dipped banana with sprinkles. Looks yummy to me!

Food on a Stick #36, Double Dipped Strawberry Banana Kabob

2011-06-28T18:21:00.000-05:00

This is one of my top five favorite of the Foods on a Stick I sampled on this journey. It's a kabob of strawberries and bananas, dipped in chocolate and kept chilled in the bakery case at Murphy's at the Kentucky State Fair.

After I ordered this, it was drenched in more chocolate from the chocolate fountain. While it was a little tricky to eat and I ended up a big chocolate-y mess, it was SO good. I only felt a little guilty about eating it, since it was just fruit, right? As far as Fair Food goes, this was definitely one of the more healthy choices.

Disclosure: I did not pay for the strawberry banana kabob, it was given to me by Murphy's. The opinions expressed are my own.

Food on a Stick #35, Double Dipped Turtle Cheesecake with John

2011-06-28T18:12:00.000-05:00

This was a terrific Food on a Stick find, Double Dipped Turtle Cheesecake.

The folks at Murphy's come up with some terrific sweets, this one being high on John's list for the entire Summer. A generous slice of turtle cheesecake is dipped in chocolate and kept in the chilled bakery case. When you order, it is once again dipped in the flowing chocolate fountain. Just when I thought John was about done with sweets forever, he spotted this big hunk of delicious sugary goodness. And he went back another day for more, no kidding!

Disclosure: I did not pay for the cheesecake, it was given to me by Murphy's. The opinions expressed are my own.

Food on a Stick #34 Deep Fried Snickers on a Stick with John

2011-06-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

After about a month of non-stop State Fair Food on a Stick, it was getting pretty hard for me to convince John he needed to eat Just.One.More Food on a Stick. One hot afternoon he agreed to take a break from sculpting and eat a Deep Fried Snickers on a Stick.

A frozen Snickers bar on a stick was dipped in a batter that resembled funnel cake batter. After being fried, it was dusted/drenched in powdered sugar. It was a good twenty minutes before this was cool enough to eat.

John eats plenty of candy bars, just not deep fried. He was not a fan of this either. It did appear to be a little messy. His reaction was similar to the Twinkie Doodle, he said it was just too sweet and ate only part of it. Who does that?!? (I'm teasing, John was a great sport and consumed thousands of calories in food that I cannot eat, all for the sake of this silly project.)

It was on this day that I decided someone needs to make something deep fried with Nutella. John would eat that every single day. Come on, Fair Food creators, make it happen!

Food on a Stick #33, Butterscotch Dipped Banana with Nuts

2011-06-28T17:59:00.000-05:00

It was possible to do a study in dipped bananas during the 52 Foods on a Stick journey. Earlier there were chocolate dipped, cherry dipped and now butterscotch dipped. I would have expected to find the butterscotch dipped banana at the same place as the cherry, but there were from two different vendors.

The vendor who sold me the butterscotch dipped banana had a great interest in Food on a Stick. He asked lots of questions and wanted to know what I would like to try but couldn't find at the Kentucky State Fair. The one thing I really wanted was a chocolate dipped dill pickle on a stick. I had one a few years ago at the Tulsa State Fair (not to be confused with the Oklahoma State Fair, there are two). It was so good that I wanted another, seriously. Something about the sour of the pickle with the sweet and crunchy chocolate shell tasted really good to me on a hot afternoon. Alas, the butterscotch banana fella didn't think there would be much demand for the chocolate pickle.

The butterscotch dipped banana had a crunchy shell, the result of being dipped and allowed to harden three times. On the last go round, it was gently rolled in chopped nuts. There were other options, too, such as sprinkles and cookie crumbs. I went with the basic chopped nut option.

I had to carry this all the way back across the fairgrounds before eating it. It was still very frozen and challenging to eat, but pretty tasty. I would eat this one again....in fact, I might do that soon!

Food on a Stick #32, Caramel Marshmallows on a Stick with Mark

2011-06-28T17:51:00.000-05:00

Another tasty treat from the folks at The Sweet Shoppe, caramel covered marshmallows on a stick.

Just a few days prior to seeing these at the fair, John and I were at a Wal-Mart in Kentucky. We don't usually shop at Wal-Mart but had heard that their stores in Kentucky were carrying gluten-free Bisquick. I really wanted to buy some, so we went to Wal-Mart late at night and found not only the Bisquick, but marshmallows the size of your fist. There was also some great people-watching at that store but about the marshmallows...

The grocery store usually has two sizes of marshmallows, the small standard size and the giant size. Sometimes I spot the giant size with toasted coconut on them. But the ones I saw at Wal-Mart were about five times the size of the typical giant size marshmallow--just ENORMOUS, like the size of an apple! And then I saw them at the Kentucky State Fair dipped in caramel. Oh my...

This Food on a Stick didn't qualify as vegetarian (I don't eat marshmallows because of the gelatin used in them) so Mark agreed to taste this one. I have to say it looked very tasty, the caramel was gooey and the marshmallows were soft and squooshy. For a moment I thought about putting my ethical eating standards on hold just so I could taste this!

*I did not pay for the caramel marshmallows on a stick. The Sweet Shopped provided this at no charge, however the opinions expressed are my own.

Food on a Stick #31, Corndog with Mark

2011-06-28T17:32:00.000-05:00

When I think of Food on a Stick, a Corndog* is the image that immediately comes to mind. It's the food I used to announce the 52 Foods on a Stick journey, on none other than National Corndog Day It's also the first Food on a Stick I chose to make gluten-free, it was the only one I knew I couldn't live without when I had to remove gluten from my diet.

There is much debate about who invented the corndog. I believe the folks at the Cozy Dog Drive-in in Springfield, Illinois were the creators. It fits best in my head to think that a drive-in on Route 66 would create such a food. Around the same time, folks at the Texas and Minnesota State Fairs claimed to have created the corndog. Regardless of who did, it's a creation I'm happy to eat!

So here it is, the most stereotypical of Foods on a Stick. And can you believe we made it more than halfway through the journey without someone trying a basic corndog? All of us bypassed a traditional corn dog, assuming it was so typical that someone had indulged in one very early on. John tried a vegetarian version at the Iowa State Fair, but it wasn't until near the end of August that one of the intrepid Food on a Stick gourmands tried a basic corndog. Mark had this one at the Kentucky State Fair and artfully dressed it with basic yellow mustard. I much prefer this method of mustard application on my corndog to the basting brush, smeared on mustard applied by the corndog cart guy, I like to control the mustard to corndog ratio myself.

*Corndog vs. corn dog. I chose to use the single-word version. The national holiday uses the one word version, so I followed their example.

Food on a Stick #30, Crazy Apple with Mark & John

2011-06-28T17:17:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Fair Food is completely over-the-top, throwing away all concern for how something tastes and instead focusing on either how much it weighs or how unlikely the combination of foods sounds (see Donut Burger). The Crazy Apple is the first of these, a caramel apple of sorts that easily weighed five pounds. Even though the focus was on how enormous it was, it was a surprisingly great combination of flavors!

I spotted this at The Sweet Shoppe, a stand that sells Kentucky bourbon fudge. (As an aside, I think Kentucky bourbon is redundant, as it's only bourbon if it is made in Kentucky. Technically it could be made anywhere in the U.S., but after tasting Kentucky's many varieties of bourbon, I don't know why you would bother with any of the whiskeys made outside of Kentucky that are called bourbon.) I visit this stand every year while working at the Kentucky State Fair to get some fudge with the intention to taking it home to our house sitter. That's always the plan, but the fudge never makes it to the Missouri state line, we always eat it on the way home. When I told the fella working there about my Food on a Stick adventure, he graciously sent me away with a few Foods on a Stick to try.

The Crazy Apple is a green apple dipped in caramel, drizzled with both white and dark chocolate then rolled in peanuts and pecans, then drizzled in more chocolate. It was suggested that I not hold it horizontal, as the pressure on the stick was too great, causing an immediate bend in the stick--and it was on a sturdy stick! This one definitely gets the award for heaviest Food on a Stick.

As seems to be the case with all of my 52 adventures, Mark & John find some crazy food to share. First it was donuts, then the Crazy Apple.

This was one of very few FoaS items that did not get completely consumed. It was simply too much food and a bit awkward to eat. But both Mark and John said it was delicious!

*I did not pay for the Crazy Apple. After explaining to the great folks at The Sweet Shoppe that I was blogging about Food on a Stick, they graciously gave me a few treats to write about. While I did not pay for the food, the opinions expressed here are my own.

Food on a Stick #29, Turtle Legs with Megs and Mac

2011-06-28T14:50:00.001-05:00

I tend to think of fairs and festivals as the best place to find Food on a Stick, but several times during this journey I spotted FoaS in unexpected places. The Turtle Legs came from one such place.

While working at an automotive festival in Denver, we ventured out to have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Watercourse. In the same neighborhood is Marczyk Fine Foods, a neighborhood grocery store featuring all sorts of produce, meat, cheese, wine, local ice cream and specialty food products. On Friday evenings, they grill Niman Ranch burgers out on their sidewalk. Folks tailgate in the tiny parking lot and perch on the bank sign at the corner skillfully balancing burgers and beer wrapped in a brown bag. I always find interesting treats at Marczyk Fine Foods, I don't pass through Denver without a visit.

While eying a whoopie pie baked in-house at Marczyk's, a clerk told me that it wasn't just any whoopie pie, it was made with THE BEST chocolate. I'm from Missouri, we have two amazing, multi-award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate makers in our fine state. I'm not easily impressed. So guess what chocolate was in these whoopie pies? Askinosie Chocolate from Springfield, Missouri. Ok, I was impressed. These folks are baking with only the really, really good stuff. They also had lots of really, really good local stuff on the shelves, including the million-times-better-than-Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread from Askinosie and these:

That picture above is a package of turtle legs, chunky pretzel rods dipped in chocolate, drizzled with caramel, nuts and popcorn. They came from Georgetown Valley Candy Company in Georgetown, Colorado. I wondered if these technically qualified as Food on a Stick, since the stick was actually a pretzel rod, completely edible. I decided it was worth the risk and bought them.

I shared the Turtle Legs with my friends Megs and Mac, two of the most discerning Food on a Stick eaters I have met. They've eaten more corn dogs than most middle-aged fairgoers and are not the least bit hesitant to say what they think about food.

So what did they say about these? "Ewwww." "Too sweet." "This is STUCK to my TEETH!" So it wasn't a big hit, but it sure was fun finding these and sharing them with friends. When in Denver, drop by Marczyk Fine Foods. You'll be glad you did, even if it's not to buy Food on a Stick.

Marczyk Fine Foods is located at 770 E. 17th Avenue in Denver, Colorado.

Food on a Stick #27 and #28, Chocolate Covered Strawberry and Cherry Covered Banana on a Stick

2011-06-21T15:43:00.001-05:00

While working at the Kentucky State Fair, I met Melissa and her mom. They were also working at the State Fair. Over the course of 12 days, we chatted several times about Food on a Stick and a few times Melissa and her mom dropped by our sculpture installation to show me their latest finds.

Melissa's Mom (who was introduced to me as *Melissa's Mom* and never referred to otherwise) is seen in this photo with the Chocolate Covered Strawberry on a Stick. It was 4 strawberries on a stick, dipped in chocolate then frozen. Because Melissa's Mom said it was so good, I had one a couple of days later and it was tasty.

Melissa is having the Cherry Covered Banana on a Stick. This one was a bit odd. The cherry coating was sort of like a cherry flavored white chocolate but even more wax-y. And the color was a very unnatural shade of reddish-pink. It was still a popular choice, I saw many people eating them at the Fair.

Thanks, Melissa and Melissa's Mom for sharing your Food on a Stick adventures with me. You sure made the Kentucky State Fair fun!

Food on a Stick #26, Popcorn Ball in Liquid Nitrogen

2011-06-14T23:03:00.000-05:00

Every year, the folks at Murphy's bring interesting new treats to the Kentucky State Fair. In 2010, they had a fancy new liquid nitrogen set-up. I was excited to see what they were doing with Fair Food and liquid nitrogen.

Murphy's was selling the Popcornsicle, a rapidly frozen popcorn ball on a stick. The popcornsicle was first featured at the Taste of Chicago in 2009, where it was made by Richard Blais, who was a Top Chef contestant. He used caramel and cheese corn for his creation. The Murphy's version was available in a variety of flavors. I chose a basic unflavored popcorn ball.

The popcornsicle was everything I thought it would be: cold, crunchy and sweet. I liked a frozen popcorn ball better than one at room temperature. Growing up, an elderly neighbor always handed out homemade popcorn balls at Halloween and I remember them sticking to my teeth and becoming a gooey mess before I had finished eating it. Popcorn balls dipped in liquid nitrogen are totally different than the popcorn balls of my childhood, still overly sweet, still full of popcorn hulls to get stuck in your teeth but made even better with a quick dip in liquid nitrogen.

Disclosure: I did not pay for the popcornsicle, it was given to me by Murphy's. The opinions expressed are my own.

Food on a Stick #25, Fair Squares

2011-06-14T17:11:00.000-05:00

Fair Squares the official treat of the Iowa State Fair. They are enormous Rice Krispie Treats on a Stick and a bargain at only $2.

At the 2010 Iowa State Fair, these were available in regular and peanut butter flavors. Neither John nor I eat marshmallows (most marshmallows contain gelatin which isn't vegetarian), so we did not get to eat these but did see lots of folks enjoying them. I wanted to share them with you because they were being sold as a fundraiser for the Blue Ribbon Foundation, which works to preserve and improve the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds.

I think the Iowa State Fair belongs on everyone's bucket list. To me, it is THE State Fair. There is a reason over a million visitors go there every year, a reason why it was the setting for State Fair, the novel, musical and movie. It encapsulates all that is Middle-America in a way I have seen nowhere else. Go visit the Iowa State Fair and have a Fair Square while you are there!

Food on a Stick #24, Dutch Letters

2011-06-14T17:02:00.000-05:00

I mentioned Pella, Iowa before when writing about the bologna on a stick. Dutch Letters are another food that Pella is known for. Dutch Letters (almost always an "S") are puffy pastry filled with almond paste, skewered and baked. The fair food-variety reminds me of a churro without cinnamon.

John bought a Dutch Letter for $3.50 from Palazzo's Java House at the Iowa State Fair. The gal working there didn't know the history of Dutch Letters, so I did a little digging. Here's some history, specifically explaining the Dutch Letters-Iowa connection. The first bakery to serve them in Pella opened in 1899.

I would love to try making a batch of gluten-free Dutch letters at home. This is one treat that I really wished I could try!

Food on a Stick #23, Deep Fried Pineapple on a Stick

2011-06-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

This Food on a Stick was by far John's favorite of our trip to the Iowa State Fair. Meet Deep Fried Pineapple on a Stick:

Looks like a corndog with frosting, right? It's not, although that sounds pretty good to me. It's pineapple on a skewer, dipped in funnel cake batter, deep fried and then drizzled with frosting.

While eating this, John said it reminded him of pineapple upside down cake. He suggested that cherries could be interspersed with the pineapple on the skewer. Sometimes I wonder if John's true calling is to create bizarre fair food. First the Apple FritterLoin idea and now Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which on a stick would be Pineapple Inside Out Cake.

This tasty Food on a Stick was $4 and the only one in Iowa that John considered having seconds.

I asked the girl working in the concession trailer what her favorite fair food was. She suggested we get the deep fried oreos, which come 6 to an order. But they weren't on a stick so we passed. She did mention that 2010 was the third Fair season for the Deep Fried Pineapple on a Stick. I'm surprised this one hasn't caught on. Put it on your must try list for 2011.

Food on a Stick #22, Key Lime Pie Dipped in Chocolate on a Stick

2011-06-14T15:48:00.001-05:00

There had to be at least one disappointment along the path to finding 52 Foods on a Stick. This was the first...

On the list of Foods on a Stick on the Iowa State Fair website, there were several desserts mentioned on a stick, all dipped in chocolate. It turns out most of them were from the same vendor. We went there hoping to score Tiramisu on a stick and found this sign:

No Tiramisu today...

On a Monday, after the weekend rush, they were out of Tiramisu on a Stick. John settled for the Key Lime Pie Dipped in Chocolate on a Stick. It was $4.50, which seemed to be the most common price for Food on a Stick at the Iowa State Fair.

Each of the desserts were individually wrapped in a freezer, taken out of the packaging by the guy behind the counter and then dipped in chocolate. I'm not sure what the proper term is for this kind of chocolate, but it sets up after the dessert is dipped in it, like Magic Shell.

This wasn't really like Key Lime Pie, more like a Key Lime Pie ice cream bar with a thin graham cracker crust. And the crust stuck to the paper boat. A fork was needed if this Food on a Stick was to be completely consumed. Sadly, it wasn't devoured. John decided to save space for a few more FonaS treats instead.

Food on a Stick #21, Vegetarian Corn Dog

2011-06-13T20:51:00.001-05:00

This was highest on the list of Foods on a Stick to find at the Iowa State Fair, the vegetarian corn dog. It's interesting to me that of all places to find this, it was in Iowa. I was surprised that the state #1 in pork production and in the top 10 of beef production would be where we would find a vegetarian meat substitute breaded and fried up on a stick.

Find it we did at a spot called Veggie-Table, and it wasn't nearly as elusive as some of the other items on the list. It was $4.50 and John reported that it was delicious, but not as good as the vegetarian gluten-free corn dogs I make. Of course he said that, he's obligated to. I have to say it looked really, really good and I was excited to find a fair food favorite offered for vegetarians. Go Iowa!

On A Stick, The Cookbook!

2011-05-10T17:04:00.000-05:00

This incredible cookbook, On A Stick, came out last week and I thought you, Food on a Stick Fans, should know about it. Sometimes you just want to make your own corndog, right? (Here's how I make gluten-free, veggie corndogs if you can't wait until you buy this amazing cookbook from Matt Armendariz.)

This cookbook, authored by Matt Armendariz, food photographer and creator of the blog MattBites, takes Food on a Stick to a new level. I had never considered using sugarcane as a stick and I can't wait to try it. I also had never considered making ice cream sandwiches on a stick, let alone rolling them in crystallized ginger. If ever there was an appropriate time to use OMG on this blog, ice cream sandwiches rolled in crystallized ginger is it. OMG! But don't go thinking this cookbook is making Food on a Stick all fancy-pants, it's not. There are some food on a stick classics, like chocolate covered bananas. And they have been enhanced with a favorite of fair-food gourmands, bacon. There are also make-it-at-home recipes for some of the fair favorites you've read about right here on this blog!

I'm not sure what to call this genre of cookbook, except photo-driven. It reminds me of cookbooks like Grilled Cheese and Lara Ferroni's Doughnuts, lots of really amazing photos but nicely balanced with recipes. This type of cookbook must leave the more traditional cookbooks, low on photos, lonely, as I don't find myself using them nearly as often anymore. I sure do enjoy a good photo of whatever it is I am trying to make in the kitchen.

Food on a Stick #20, Deep Fried Cheese with Marinara with John

2011-04-17T11:23:00.001-05:00

John is a big fan of cheese sticks. Or at least he was when we ate more bar food, deep fried appetizers and late night junk. I can't remember the last time I saw him order cheese sticks at a restaurant, but it was the first thing he bought at the Iowa State Fair.

Now I've got you thinking about the crunchy coating on typical mozzarella sticks. What John bought at the Iowa State Fair wasn't like that at all, although that is what the initial attraction was. Instead, it was a HUGE slab of mozzarella (maybe 4 ounces) that was breaded in something similar to corndog breading. It was served with a plastic cup of marinara sauce. John prefers mustard on breaded, fried cheese but ate the marinara anyway and rolled his eyes when I pointed out it probably contained HFCS. Like we should somehow avoid HFCS at the fair, in the midst of our Food on a Stick gluttony.

This was rated in John's top 2 finds at the Iowa State Fair. Although I couldn't try it, I would say it was a good value, based simply on the large amount of cheese.

Food on a Stick #19, Pecan Nut Roll Dipped in Chocolate on a Stick

2011-04-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

The Iowa State Fair claimed to have more than 50 Foods on a Stick. Prior to our trip, I went over the list several times, trying to find foods I could eat that would be both vegetarian and gluten-free. While there weren't many, I did manage to find a few.

One stand had several varieties of Nut Rolls, available plain or dipped in chocolate. I chose the Pecan Nut Roll and of course, had it dipped in chocolate. It reminded me of the nut logs advertised on Stuckey's billboards in the 70s. As a little kid, Stuckey's fascinated me with their kitschy souvenirs and 99 cent nut logs. I don't think I ever tried one, but I imagine they were very similar to the Pecan Nut Roll I had at the fair.

Inside of the nut log was white chewy nougat-y stuff which was rolled in pecans and then dipped in chocolate. I really love sweets, but this was simply too sweet. I had just a couple of bites of it. I tried to pawn it off on John, but he was already about 5 Foods on a Stick into his fair food adventure and politely declined my offer. It probably wasn't such a great offer anyway, as the chocolate was starting to drip down my arm and the nuts were falling all over, including on a passerby's flip flop.

Food on a Stick #18, OctoDog with Wade the Kid

2011-04-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

My first stop at the Iowa State Fair was the information booth. I spent several minutes chatting with these two lovely ladies. They had a binder that detailed all of the Food on a Stick options at the Iowa State Fair. They helped me locate the elusive OctoDog, among other must-try items on my lengthy list.

The OctoDog is a hot dog, sliced using a funky apparatus to that is has eight legs. Cooking the hot dog after cutting it causes the "tentacles" to curl a bit. A large straw is carefully inserted into the top of the dog right before serving. At the Iowa State Fair, it is served on a bed of macaroni and cheese.

The OctoDog booth was tucked out of sight, along the sidewalk leading into an exhibit building. Even though the info ladies had sent me the right direction, I had walked past it at least 4 times before spotting the booth. Once I located the booth, I ran into Wade the Kid from Bevington, Iowa. Wade told me all about why he likes the OctoDog (it's JUST like a hot dog he said) and he also mentioned he was getting TWO OctoDogs, one for him and one for his sister. I asked if he ate hot dogs with macaroni and cheese at home and was told it's mostly something you eat at school, not at home. Good to know.

Thanks, Wade the Kid from Bevington, Iowa for indulging all of my crazy questions about the OctoDog. If they made a veggie version, I would definitely try it!

Food on a Stick #17, Pella Bologna on a Stick

2011-04-17T11:01:00.000-05:00

Another find at the Iowa State Fair, Pella Bologna on a Stick.

I have visited Pella, Iowa for the Tulip Festival several times but had no idea they were famous for bologna. I went to check out the Bologna on a Stick stand, hoping to find someone eating the bologna to tell vegetarian me all about it. I bumped into the perfect person to chat with, Mike the Siding Guy.

Mike sells siding. He could also sell Bologna on a Stick. I asked him if he would tell me about it and he proceeded to give me the best sales pitch a big chunk of skewered meat could ask for. He told me it's the best deal on the fairgrounds, it's not a skimpy piece of bologna but instead of a big hunk of processed meat. He also told me that Pella bologna is all beef and has a smoky flavor. And again, that it's the best deal at the fair.

The Bologna on a Stick was $3.50 at the Iowa State Fair. While at the fair, I assumed Pella was the brand name of the bologna and didn't ask the folks at the stand what Pella bologna they sold. See, there is more than one company that makes Pella Bologna. Ulrich's Meat Market claims to be the original. If you happen to try this at the Iowa State Fair, let me know what brand bologna they use. I'd love to know!

Food on a Stick #16, Dill Pickle on a Stick

2011-04-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

This entry gets the award for being the lowest calorie Food on a Stick in the entire list. At the Iowa State Fair, I had a Giant Dill Pickle on a Stick for $2.50.

I'm a huge fan of dill pickles. In my childhood photos, I'm often seen with a giant dill pickle in hand. I loved it on family roadtrips when we would stop at a gas station that had the enormous glass canister full of pickles sitting on the counter. Then came single-serve packaged pickles in the tricky plastic packaging filled with juice, which was impossible to not spill all over the backseat of the Buick station wagon. I still buy dill pickles at convenience stores. I ate a chocolate covered dill pickle on a stick at the Tulsa State Fair a couple of years ago and would eat another one any day, it was delicious!

The dill pickle stand also had pretzels and root beer served from huge barrels. The gals working there were great fun, some of the friendliest folks I chatted with the entire day. It's interesting the variety of people you meet selling fair food.

Food on a Stick #15, Pork Chop on a Stick with Mark

2011-04-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

Mark had a Pork Chop on a Stick at the Iowa State Fair. And again I am without a photo. Sorry about that, folks. I'm a disorganized mess after eating all of this impaled food!

The Iowa State Fair claims to be the first fair to serve the Pork Chop on a Stick. It's at many fairs now and in my opinion, it's never really on a stick. The "stick" is actually a bone.

Here's a video of a lady eating the Pork Chop on a Stick at the Iowa State Fair:

Food on a Stick #14, Egg on a Stick with Mark

2011-04-17T10:28:00.000-05:00

Here I am again, photo-less in my attempt to document 52 Foods on a Stick.

The Egg on a Stick is an interesting entry on this list. It's one of those items that has been impaled only because people at Fairs will buy anything on a stick. A few years ago at the Iowa State Fair I saw a caricature artist selling "Kid on a Stick." It was simply a caricature drawing attached to a popsicle stick, but it got the artist an NPR mention.

A hard boiled egg would be just as easy to eat not on a stick, but putting it on a stick makes it much more appealing. Unless of course, it's a deep fried egg on a stick or something like a Scotch Egg. I think that would make it much more fitting in the Food on a Stick category.

Food on a Stick #13, Deep Fried PB&J on a Stick from Richard

2011-04-17T10:24:00.001-05:00

Richard made another great Food on a Stick find at the Wisconsin State Fair, Deep Fried Peanut Butter & Jelly.

It's an Uncrustable on a stick, breaded with something similar to funnel cake batter, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Oh, admit it, it sounds good!

Near the end of the 52 Foods on a Stick adventure, I tried a slightly different variation of the deep fried PB&J in St. Joseph, MO. I'll tell you more about it later, but for now will say it was super yummy. This is one Food on a Stick I would highly recommend you try!

Food on a Stick #12, Potato Chips on a Stick with Richard

2011-04-17T10:19:00.000-05:00

Another Wisconsin State Fair find, Potato Chips on a Stick!

Richard found this one and I think it looks a lot like Becky's Tornado Potato. I bet if you asked the purveyors at each stand, they would argue that their products are either dissimilar or that they created it first. That's how Fair Food works. I bet the guy who told me he invented the Cheeseburger on a Stick is really hacked off that 7-11 is selling it as roller food.

Food on a Stick #11, Chocolate Covered Bacon on a Stick with Richard

2011-04-17T10:09:00.000-05:00

Richard discovered Chocolate Covered Bacon on a Stick at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Food on a Stick #10, Meatballs on a Stick with Becky

2011-04-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

Becky shared with me that she ate meatballs on a stick at a fair in California, but ate them before taking a picture. It still counts, right?

At the Minnesota State Fair, they sell Spaghetti and Meatballs on a stick. Here's a great photo and info on how that happens from Tim Kiser.

Food on a Stick #9, Garlic Battered Artichokes on a Stick with Mark

2011-04-17T09:57:00.001-05:00

Here's another entry for which I do not have a photo. Darn! This one sounds really appetizing!

Food on a Stick #8, Alligator on a Stick with Richard and Mark

2011-04-17T09:55:00.000-05:00

Alligator on a Stick, because how else would you serve alligator at a fair or festival?

Richard tried this at the Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, Kansas, one of my favorite festivals anywhere. The first year I was booked to work there, I was expecting some po-dunk local festival with crafts, not art. Instead, it is an amazing festival with regional and national artists, great music acts on multiple stages and a terrific variety of food. Salina is a really cool town and I always look forward to working there.

Anyway, back to the food. Richard ate this first and I lost his photo. Then later in the year, Mark also tried it. I have Mark's picture but I don't know at what fair or festival he ate it. How's that for some great journalism? Poor reporting on my end aside, it looks rather tasty. And of course, tastes like chicken.

Food on a Stick #7, Tornado Potato with Becky

2011-04-16T11:55:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! My name is Becky Goodyear. I'm a Balloon Twister who absolutely loves (Did I say LOVES?) traveling to County Fairs and Festivals making fun balloon creations for the visitors. I have been keeping an eye out for foods on a stick for Johnna and came upon one I had never seen before!

June 24-27 of 2010 I was working at Placer County Fair in Roseville, CA and found...........

(drum roll) Tornado Potato!

This is a whole potato on a stick and sliced in one continuous spiral. It is then deep fried. (Yes, I know you are thinking french fry) The really fun part is all the toppings that can be added. You name it, They had it. I had mine with parmesan cheese! mmmMMMmmmm

Food on a Stick #6, Twinkie Doodle with John

2011-04-16T11:49:00.000-05:00

John and I dropped into Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at The Legends because we noticed a few Food on a Stick items in the window. Chocolate dipped apples, skewered marshmallows enrobed in chocolate and this, the Twinkie Doodle.

Because I am gluten-free, John agreed to try the Twinkie Doodle. It's a Twinkie dipped in "white candy coating" then rolled in cinnamon and sugar.

I've been married to John for 15 1/2 years and rarely hear him make a bad comment about food. I cooked a Kashi frozen meal for him once that contained barley (don't judge, I was short on time) and he politely said he didn't much care for it, that's all. He never says "Dinner was horrible." I tell you this because he didn't finish the Twinkie Doodle, he pitched it after choking down about half of it and said he would prefer to never eat such a thing again.

Then I found out I had suggested a meaty treat to my vegetarian husband. There's BEEF FAT in Twinkies, y'all! Who knew?!?

So there you have, the Twinkie Doodle. Disgustingly sweet, loaded up with beef fat and covered in artificially flavored candy coating. Yum.

Japanese Candy...on a stick!

2011-04-15T22:03:00.001-05:00

While this isn't officially one of the 52 Foods on a Stick consumed last year during Summer Fair and Festival Season, I wanted to share this with you because it is so amazing!

Tonight I went to a Japanese candy making demonstration, Amezaiku, at Reading Reptile, a local gem in KC, a children's bookstore unlike any other. It's my go-to store when buying gifts for children. Recently they have added Le Petit Rouge, the cutest little cupcake counter you've ever seen serving sweet treats with fairytale names, like Three Bears and Goldilocks, Queen of Hearts, Jack Sprat and my favorite, the gluten-free Little Red Hen. And now they have intricate pieces of sugar art created by Ai Osada of Joy Joy Confections.

Before tonight's demonstration, I had no idea how the beautiful lollipops sitting on the counter at Le Petit Rouge were made. I only knew they were extra special treats, obviously made with lots of care. They are not something I would want to eat, they are too pretty! What I saw during the demonstration can only be described as sugar magic.

Ai began the demonstration by telling us this was her first official demonstration. Her set-up is simple and mobile, which is in line with the street art history of this style of Japanese candy-making. A heating element is beneath a bowl of the candy making material. A bulb pump allows her to inflate the pieces of candy and a small fan cooled the pieces once sculpting was completed. A rack with holders allows the lollipops to be hung upside down to cool as well as right side up to display.

The cart appeared to have everything needed to create many lollipops. Ai displayed a menu with nine creations listed and she made all but one of them in less than an hour, all while talking and answering the never-ending questions of the audience comprised mostly of children. She shared with us that the candy material is corn syrup, it takes about 4 hours to make it and it is made of corn syrup. Traditionally it is made with rice syrup, however Ai was unable to source the preferable type here. She used a bit of cornstarch on her hands to eliminate any stickiness in the candy, which was surely present on a rainy evening. To color the sugar, she applied a bit of food coloring with a paint brush and worked it into the sugar by repeatedly pulling and looping it. Details were applied with a small paint brush and more food coloring, really bringing the sugar creations to life.

With the candy material being around 180 degrees, it seems it would take some adjusting to get used to the heat on bare hands. Ai said the working time before the sugar hardens is about 3 to 5 minutes. She mentioned that in Japan, no flavoring is added to the sugar. She is currently adding butterscotch as she thinks it complements the flavor of the sugar better than the other flavors she tried, including citrus.

As Ai sculpted, the kids in the audience shouted out their guesses as to what animal she was making. The adults in the audience had questions, too. For me, a balloon sculptor by trade, I was fascinated at the similarity in the questions and comments posed to Ai. "I know what it is--it's a crocodile! Can you make a Sumo Wrestler? How DO you do THAT?" And from the adults: "Where do you buy your materials? Do you sculpt with anything else? How'd you get started? How long have you been doing this?"

Before Ai had mentioned the street art history of Amezaiku, it became apparent there is some similarity in this type of sculpting and small-scale balloon sculpting. That may be because both are small, portable and available for people to hold in their hands. Or it may simply be because it is fascinating to see a medium we are all familiar with, whether that be balloons or candy, turned into something artistic. Whatever it is, I'm intrigued and could have watched her sculpt these magic little sugar sculptures all evening.

During the demonstration, Ai created a horse, an octopus, a crane, a cat, a fish, a tooth (which my hubby pointed out was truly a Sweet Tooth), a flower, a pig and a bunny. Waiting at the counter after the demonstration was an adorable box of ducklings. So much better than a Peep!

In all of my Food on a Stick adventures, tonight's demonstration gets the award for being the most creative. I still have not tasted one of these sugar sculptures and may one day. But for now, I'm going to enjoy their cuteness. Ai mentioned there are only around 100 Amezaiku artists in Japan and maybe only 4 or 5 in the U.S.* This was truly a treat to see!

(My apologies for the photo quality. I forgot my camera this evening and only had my phone available. If you really want to see how cute these lollipops are, drop by Reading Reptile!)

*One such artist sculpts outside of the Mikimoto pavilion at EPCOT. There is a video here.

Done! Complete! Finito!

2010-10-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all! Check out that list over on the right ----->>>.

That's right, the list is complete. All 52 Foods on a Stick have been located, purchased, consumed.

Yesterday was a big day. Richard had the Zucchini Wienie at Big Fresno in California. Seven bucks! I think he might get the award for priciest Food on a Stick! Then last night, Jenny rolled into the Tulsa State Fair on a mission, a mission to complete this project. In her amazing no-food-left-behind style, she helped us wrap up the project with Fried Butter Balls on a Stick. This seems like such an appropriate ending!

Soon we'll be sharing photos and stories about our journey of Fried Fair Food. We may even add a few more items to the list, because we're over-achievers when it comes to impaled foods. But right now, I think we should all take a moment to celebrate with a salad. And a side of Tums. Maybe a cholesterol test.

A Quick Update

2010-08-22T20:42:00.000-05:00

Howdy Food-on-a-Stick fans! Just a quick note to let you know things are rolling along over here, it's just that we are all so busy chasing down impaled food that we have little time to write about it!

Over on the right hand side you'll see a list of everything we've hunted down so far. And just as soon as we all have time, we'll start writing about our experiences. I've got a couple on the list that I'm just itching to tell you about, but I'm exhausted from all of the fun I'm having working at a fair right now. Just last week I accompanied John to the Iowa State Fair and he indulged in TEN foods on a stick in under two hours. Now that was F-U-N!

So that's the skinny (er...uh...yeah, skinny). We're plugging along and will have lots to share with you soon. Sit tight...or join us on the journey. You can e-mail your finds to me at 52donuts(at)gmail.com.

Food on a Stick #5, Fried Cheesecake on a Stick with Becky

2010-07-12T16:06:00.002-05:00

Assignment: Bite the bullet and find Foods On A Stick.

I'm Becky Goodyear from La Palma, California. I take assignments VERY seriously.

May 20-23 Glenn County Fair in Orland, CA - My First Find!!!

Fried Cheesecake On A Stick

As I was explaining my assignment to the vendor of this curious treat, the most wonderful aroma was wafting from inside his booth. He grinned when I asked him if it was REALLY on a stick. "See for yourself!" he said as he handed me a little tray of donut-hole sized little balls which had been dipped in batter, fried to a beautiful golden color, sprinkled with powdered sugar, dribbled with a touch of chocolate sauce AND each was on it's own stick!

My plan was to "taste" just one because surely they would immediately put 10 lbs on my hips. I invited my photographer to share with me but he declined. Moments later I am looking at an empty tray. Need I say more?

Meet My Friends: Becky

2010-07-12T15:53:00.001-05:00

Becky is like me, a balloon artist, and she is also a zany performer who has turned her balloon savvy into a cool stage show, Safari Sadie's Rubber Jungle Revue.

Hailing from California, Becky and I only get to see each other when our paths cross at balloon industry conventions (yes they exist, there's even a documentary) or when we work at the same event, which isn't often! So we pack lots of fun into being in the same place--although I will have to say Becky manages to pack even more fun into her trips away from home and is often out dancing while I'm snoozing.

Becky will be at lots of fairs and festivals on the West Coast this Summer. Watch for her Food-on-a-Stick input soon!

Food on a Stick #4, Sausage on a Stick with Diana

2010-07-12T15:41:00.000-05:00

Diana joined us at the Crawdad Days Festival in Harrison, Arkansas and indulged in the most expensive Food-on-a-Stick offered at the festival: a $6 sausage on a stick.

I asked Diana if there was anything remarkable about the sausage and she said nothing other than the price. The place selling the sausage on a stick was also selling those potatoes that are one endless string, cut using some sort of machine that looks similar to an apple peeler sold at Pampered Chef parties and delivered in a large paper basket. Those were only $5 but since they weren't on a stick, none of us tried them. Maybe next time...

Meet My Friends: Mark

2010-07-12T15:32:00.001-05:00

I wrote a little about Mark during the 52 Donuts journey. I'm so happy that he and his family are joining us for the 52 Foods on a Stick adventure. And now, a little input from Mark, one of the first two friends to agree that this project could be conquered.

All About ME!!!

I somehow missed the request (demand, really) from our lovely and talented blog mistress for some personal info. Where to start?...
should I talk about having been born and raised in Springfield, MO?.... my wife and partner since 1984, Susan? She does like food on a stick. Especially cheese. In fact, she likes anything cheesy - must be why she's with me, huh?

Oh, I could tell you about my son since 1989, Zaq. No, he wasn't someone else's son prior to then, he just happened to have been born in 1989. He likes food on a stick, on a plate, in a bowl, wrapped in a paper towel or served on the back of a small woodland creature.

Speaking of Zaq, he and I really enjoyed Deep Fried - which, by the way, is the BEST way to keep something on a stick! - anyway, we both liked the Deep Fried Mashed Potatoes on a Stick at the OK State Fair last fall. Hmmm.... I guess since this blog has just started I'll have to sample them again for the review to count, huh? If I must...

What? Oh, right.. about me. I've got a press release around here somewhere... here it is:

Mark Sparks - Definition: Comic, Magician, Juggler, Puppeteer, Fire Eater turned Booking Agent, Event Producer and part-time Fitness Instructor. He travels nationwide each year producing events and visiting clients, and avoiding people doing card tricks, during which time he has to eat several times a day. Since many of the events have food on sticks, he's a natural contributor to the cause. He's also planning on carrying a supply of empty sticks in case he finds himself at an event that is stickless. Mark lives with his wife and son outside of Humansville, MO. Yes, it's in the sticks.

Waffle on a Stick!

2010-06-29T19:40:00.002-05:00

This isn't a food that any of us have tried (yet), but I thought it was worthy of a mention here. You can now make your very own Waffle on a Stick at home!

Food on a Stick #2 and #3, Cheeseburger on a Stick, Caramel Apple

2010-06-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

Here's the next installment in the Food on a Stick journey, from Charlotte:

Being an adventurous sort, I'll try almost any food once. We went to the Crawdad Festival in Harrison, Arkansas in May this year with some of our car club friends. We were walking around the festival grounds when I spotted a booth selling "Cheeseburger on a Stick". Well of course I had to try it.

Now I'm thinking a regular cheeseburger on a bun that they somehow managed to get to stay on a stick. Nope, not at all! It turned out to be a hamburger log with cheese flecks through it, dipped in corn dog batter, and deep fried. Can't say it is my new favorite food but it was worth a try.

I also had a caramel apple dipped in peanuts on a stick but that was an old time favorite from my youth when the big outing of the summer was an all day & well into the night visit to the Missouri State Fair.

Not to be outdone, David stuck one of his crawfish on a stick, but couldn't eat it that way.

We are going to Germany in Sept this year and I'm looking forward to trying a Stecherlfisch or as we would call it a fish on a stick. Usually served with a pretzel and a big beer. Yum-yum.

Food on a Stick #1, Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana

2010-06-08T09:23:00.000-05:00

While one of my Food-on-a-Stick friends mentioned this as his favorite, I beat him to it! The first impaled food that I tried on this journey was the Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana.

I bought this at Crawdad Days in Harrison, Arkansas. It was $3 and worth every penny. It was a large banana, perfectly coated in chocolate and frozen just right. I am not a fan of bananas that are so frozen you can't bite into them, but that wasn't the case with this one. I bought it from Kathy's Kabana and enjoyed chatting with Kathy, who promised me she would consider offering chocolate covered dill pickles next season.

Crawdad Days was a fun little festival. Watch for more Food On A Stick updates from here!

Meet My Friends: Richard

2010-05-30T10:15:00.000-05:00

I wrote a little about Richard earlier this year on the 52 Sweets blog, but think you should read what he wrote himself about....well, himself. If I had to guess who would find the most interesting and unusual Food On A Stick in the next few months, I would put my money on Richard or Mark. But so far Mark hasn't written about himself so today's post is all about Richard. Read on...

"I am a full time professional entertainer who has managed to sustain life at the bottom of the show business food chain. That means I work a lot in schools, fairs and festivals with such skills as stilt walking, juggling, unicycling and driving around the Recycle Cycle (google it). Although I do not seek it out, I constantly run into weird foods at my gigs. I will be glad to share all that I find while on the road this year. The one most notable find from last year was the Zucchini Wienie - a zuch cored out with a hot dog inside, battered and deep fried. We'll see if that can be topped."

Meet My Friends: John

2010-05-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

John is more than my friend, he is also my husband and business partner. And he loves eating food that is fried, impaled with a stick or served in a paper tray. John finds himself near such culinary delicacies because of his job. He creates sculptures with balloons, which is an over-simplification of the magic he does with a non-traditional, transient medium. Check it out here.

I asked John what his favorite Food On A Stick is and he said it's a corndog. The irony is that John has been vegetarian for about a year now and has had a corndog only once since making that change, which were made at home. I suspect his hunt for a vegetarian corndog will take us far from Kansas City.

We reminisced this morning about the many Foods On A Stick we have tried over the past 15 years. John pointed out the most disgusting he has sampled was the chocolate covered pickle on a stick at the Tulsa State Fair. I did not think it was disgusting and suggested we trek to the far side of the fairground the next day so we could get another one. That didn't happen. Our tastes in food definitely varies but we both enjoyed the donut hole kabobs we spotted in Reno earlier this year at a fair convention. Now if they would just deep fry those...

John plans to seek out food on a stick in the Midwest and South over the next 4 months, throwing in a few impromptu trips to use up his frequent flyer miles in the search for Food On A Stick. Stay tuned!

Meet My Friends: David and Charlotte

2010-05-22T12:49:00.002-05:00

While most of my Food On A Stick friends are fellow artists and performers, a few are friends who have no career obligation to be near Food On A Stick. David and Charlotte are two such friends!

I met David and Charlotte five years ago through a car club. David worked for a tire distributor and had more knowledge about tires than anyone I had met before. He has never pointed me in the wrong direction when it comes to tires for any of my rides and helped with some wiring in my car that has helped me avoid speeding tickets. His lovely wife Charlotte is an incredible knitter and a nurse. She knits everywhere she goes and makes beautiful socks, scarves, sweaters... I overheard David telling another fella that once you wear her socks, you will never wear any other socks. If a tough guy tells his friends about his wife's knitted socks, you know they must be fabulous!

David and Charlotte are retired, but even prior to retirement they traveled the world. They always come home with great photos and stories to share. I ask about the food in the countries they visit and admire how adventurous they are in their culinary travels. I believe it has been almost two years since they spent a few weeks in China, but they still never mention going out for Chinese food. Whether it is because they got their fill or not, I don't know.

David hails from Memphis, Charlotte from southern Missouri. They have eaten at several restaurants owned by Food Network personalities and have been great to always share the real story about their food experiences. I can't wait to see their Food On A Stick reviews!

Meet My Friends: Greg Frisbee

2010-05-21T12:49:00.001-05:00

Today is the first post introducing you to my fellow Food On A Stick contributors. Meet Greg Frisbee, Comedy Juggler and Variety Performer.

Greg lives in one of my favorite food towns, San Francisco, but his amazing variety of entertainment has taken him around the world. He juggles fire, escapes from a straitjacket and makes people laugh hysterically. And he likes food on a stick--his favorite is frozen chocolate covered bananas. The race is on to see which of us eats one first, as that's my favorite, too!

I was recently working about an hour north of Kansas City in a small town. A guy in bib overalls approached me and started rattling off one-liners and groan-worthy jokes about balloon sculpting. I thought this was very odd, until it struck me I had heard some of those jokes before. I asked him where he came up with his material. He told me he had seen this really terrific performer a year ago at the Missouri State Fair, none other than Greg Frisbee. That's the impact Greg has on folks--a year later they still remember his silly jokes well enough to retell them!

Happy National Corn Dog Day!

2010-03-20T12:14:00.000-05:00

It is not by coincidence that the 52 Foods on a Stick blog went live today. Today, March 20th, 2010 is National CornDog Day. What a perfect way to celebrate foods on a stick AND a fun new 52 adventure.

The corndog establishment I have enjoyed the most is the Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, Illinois. But don't call it a corndog--it's a Cozy Dog, a hot dog on a stick dipped in special batter. It was invented by Buzz Waldmire. His idea was ripped off and renamed the corndog. The Cozy Dog is located on Route 66 and is packed full of memorabilia. It is easy to spend a couple of hours there just checking everything out.

I'm wearing my Hot Dog on a Stick shirt today and trying to make my own corn dogs at home. I've never attempted to make corn dogs before, especially not a vegetarian gluten-free version. A back-up plan seems like a necessity.

Where's your favorite corn dog spot? Ever made your own?

Welcome to 52 Foods on a Stick

2010-03-20T11:58:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the latest installment in my 52 adventures. In 2009, I visited 52 donut shops, one a week for a year, the 52 Donut project. In 2010, I have been baking a gluten-free sweet treat and sharing it with a different friend each week, the 52 Sweets projects. I enjoy blogging about an annual goal, a project that has a definite beginning and end, with a hefty helping of quirk.

And now there's 52 Foods on a Stick. My job often takes me to places with lots of unusual foods on a stick and many of my friends work in similar venues. We've seen some crazy concoctions served on a stick. Most of the events with food on a stick take place between June and September, so the challenge is to find 52 unique foods on a stick, try them and blog about them in 4 short months. It's a bit more challenging than having a full year and it will happen thanks to several authors across the country.

In the next few weeks, I'll introduce you to the other contributors and share some of our plans for the Food on a Stick season. If you have suggestions, please share them and we'll do our best to check them out!