Iowa State Fair - Fun on a Stick

Another key feature of the Iowa State Fair that it would be remiss not to mention, is the unhealthy conviction that anything, no matter how disgusting, is rendered irresistible by being presented "on a stick."

There were all the usual fair food suspects like the corn dogs (the American ancestor of the Australian Pluto Pup or Dagwood Dog), and the cotton candy (fairy floss) and caramel apples (a kind of soft variant of toffee apples). It became progressively more strange from there.

How about chicken on a stick? Or steak on a stick?

Here's a photo of "pork on a stick," although my Iowan friends felt that this was cheating. For purists, meat served on the bone should not properly be considered food on a stick.

I even saw pizza on a stick. There were eggs on a stick (hard boiled eggs stabbed with a paddle pop stick), lamb on a stick, cakes on a stick, deep fried candy bars (like Snickers and Mars Bars) on a stick. You name it, if there was a way to balance it on a wooden skewer, it was being sold on a stick at the Iowa State Fair.

They even had beer on a stick, cleverly combining two great State Fair traditions in one ridiculous and totally impractical product.

The on-a-stick culture is so famous that my new friends who are all members of the same cycling club were wearing on-a-stick themed T-shirts. They were celebrating the birthday of one of their club members, Garcia, by wearing T-shirts with an iron-on print of his photograph and a paddle pop stick taped under the photo. Thus, Garcia on a stick.

If you have any doubt about the extent of the food on a stick phenomenon I suggest you watch this You Tube Video Documentary of the Minnesota State Fair food on a stick, produced by Belly Du Jour. Actually, you should all watch it. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to my brilliant day at the Iowa State Fair. I enjoyed myself thoroughly, wear my souvenir T-shirt with pride and am glad to tell the world that the experience was nothing short of fun on a stick.