State Fair only comes around once a year bringing with it prize-winning livestock, award-winning pies, rickety roller coasters, and a unique culinary experience. Traditional State Fair-goers love the light and airy cream puffs, decadent funnel cakes and juicy brats, while more adventuresome visitors prefer the creativity and excitement of food-on-a-stick.
For many fair vendors it seems to have become a personal mission to come up with the next food-on-a-stick sensation. This past year alone, the Wisconsin State Fair added 13 new food-on-a-stick options such as Cherry Pie, Chocolate Covered Bacon, and the Reuben. With lines snaking around the corner, the Chocolate Covered Bacon seemed to draw the most curiosity.
Here at Taste of Home, we decided to see which food-on-a-stick was indeed the best. A group of food editors embarked on a trip to the Wisconsin State Fair and found a clear and tasty winner.
Best Food-On-A-Stick: Cookie Dough
Chocolate chip cookie dough is dipped in chocolate then rolled in your
choice of nuts or sprinkles. One of our samplers put it best: When is
cookie dough not good?
Messiest Food-On-A-Stick: Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly
This classic sandwich is deep-fried, dusted with powdered sugar and
served to the masses. However, with so much gooey goodness inside,
this on-a-stick-treat ended up on a plate in just two bites.
Better than Ice Cream: Chocolate Covered Banana
Don't let the title fool you - this scrumptious treat really is better
than ice cream. Frozen bananas are dipped in chocolate then rolled
in sprinkles, nuts, M&Ms or other candy pieces.
Most Overrated Food-On-A-Stick: Cherry Pie and
Chocolate Covered Bacon
What seemed like good ideas, these two creations didn't live up
to their hype. The Chocolate Covered Bacon was chewy, covered in
a too bitter chocolate and sprinkled with too much salt. The Cherry Pie
tasted more like a toaster strudel and was filled with a canned pie
filling rather than real cherries.
Classic Food-On-A-Stick: Corn Dog
Let's be honest. There is nothing better than the original. A sweet
corn bread batter and a juicy hot dog come together in this
delightful State Fair staple.
Corn Dogs Recipe
Servings: 10
Time: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup self-rising flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup milk
- 10 Popsicle sticks
- 10 hot dogs
- Oil for deep-fat frying
In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour and egg. Stir in milk to make a thick batter; let stand 4 minutes. Insert sticks into hot dogs; dip in batter.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to (375°). Fry corn dogs, a few at a time, about 8-6 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels.
Yield: 10 servings.
More State Fair Recipes
by Sarah James at tasteofhome.com
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