Wednesday Cookbook: All's Fair

On a Stick!

by Matt Armendariz
It's almost time for the Dixie Classic Fair, a good old-fashioned agricultural fair here in North Carolina. If you haven't been to a fair like that, you don't know what you're missing.
My friend Julie and I have a very specific path at the fair ― first we see the chickens in pants (well, that's what they look like); then the sheep, cows, horses; then the huge veggies and the apples that look like old people; which leads into the flower arranging arena; then quilts, baked goods, and jams; and then it is all about the food. Amazing and very unhealthy food.
Oddly enough, food at fairs seems to always come on a stick. Anything can be put on a skewer, as proved by the recipes in On a Stick (I refuse to use the exclamation point again). You can make your own fair favorites at home with these recipes, including Fried Mac 'n' Cheese, Candy Apples, Fried Pickles, and Deep Fried Candy Bars. 
FYI ― I saw a woman practically give herself third-degree burns with one of those once, but I digress.
Now don't send me nasty emails about hardened arteries and heartburn...there are healthier items that can be served on a stick, too. For example, Red Curry Shrimp and Pineapple, Fruit Salad Skewers, and Antipasti Skewers. And there are some whimsical ideas that I would never imagine you could get on a stick, like Margarita Jell-O Shots. Those would sell like crazy at the fair, I bet.
Great dips, sauces, and marinades add new flavors to the speared bites, and not-the-norm sticks like rosemary and sugarcane make this a fun-filled cookbook. (2011 - Quirk Publishing)