Because food on a stick is just awesome! If we had our own state fair, we'd serve up Crescent Dogs on a stick. Check out these signature foods from state fairs across the county.
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Minnesota – Walleye on a Stick
At last count, the Minnesota State Fair boasted some 80 foods on a stick. Among the wild and wacky, walleye on a stick is a classic. The state fish is filleted by hand then breaded – not battered – so the crust stays to the fish when it’s fried.
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Texas – Corn Dogs
The granddaddy of fair food, the original corn dog was introduced in 1942 when brothers Neil and Carl Fletcher dipped a hot dog in corn batter and fried it. Today, 500,000 or so are sold each year in Texas.
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New Jersey – Deep-Fried Candy Bar on a Stick
Although it’s sold at many state fairs, the deep-fried candy bar was invented in New Jersey – Hackettstown to be exact. The all-American candy bar is battered, fried and dusted with powdered sugar.
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Iowa – Pork Chop on a Stick
Since 1990, the country’s number one pork-producing state has been turning out – you guessed it – pork chop on a stick: 60,000 a year! The chops are specially cut so that the bone can serve as the “stick,” then baked in large batches to keep up with demand.
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North Carolina – Alligator on a Stick
There’s plenty of pride for fried food at this southern fair – and a blog, “Deep Fried @ The N.C. State Fair,” to prove it. The most exotic of the bunch is alligator tail, a chewy cross between chicken and pork.
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Kansas State Fair – Pickle Pop
Kansas might be famous for its barbecue, but it’s the frozen pickle juice that state-fair goers go crazy for. They might be on to something: The juice is packed with electrolytes, which prevents dehydration.
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Kentucky – Pork Butt on a Stick
In Kentucky, pork butt is no joke. This regional favorite is grilled in big, meaty slabs and skewered with a stick. Coincidentally, the exposition center where the fair is held is also home to the world’s largest purebred livestock show.
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Wisconsin – Cheese on a Stick
In Cheesehead country, there are plenty of variations of cheese-on-a-stick. There’s cheesecake, cheesesteak, chili cheese dogs, macaroni and cheese, not to mention blocks of American, Swiss or cheddar cheese dipped in cornbread batter and fried.
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Louisiana – Cajun Shrimp on a Stick
The folks in Louisiana have been making Cajun shrimp the same way for almost 30 years. Wet- then dry-battered, seasoned but not spicy, fried and ready-to-eat right off the stick.
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California – Chocolate-Covered Garlic on a Stick
Gilroy, Calif., the garlic capital of the world, is home to an unlikely combo at the state’s fair: Garlic-flecked truffles. If you can’t get enough of garlic, you can find even more food loaded with garlic at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.