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 remains a classic. The state fish is filleted by hand then breaded - not battered - so that the crust adheres to the fish when fried. |
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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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New Jersey - Deep-Fried Candy Bar on a Stick
Although it's sold at many state fairs, the deep-fried candy bar calls New Jersey home. Produced in Hackettstown, NJ, the all-American candy bar gets and addictive upgrade at the fair when it's 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, to be exact. 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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Wisconsin - Cheese on a Stick
In Cheesehead country, variations of cheese-on-a-stick abound. There's cheesecake, cheesesteak, chili cheese dogs, macaroni and cheese, and for the purist: blocks of American, Swiss or cheddar cheese are dipped in cornbread batter and fried to grilled-cheese-like effect. |
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Kansas - Pickle Pop
Kansas might be famous for its barbecue, but it's the frozen pickle juice that state-fair goers clamor for. They might be on to something: The briny juice is packed with electrolytes, which keep dehydration at bay. |
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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 - this case, right off the stick. |
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Texas - Corn Dogs
The grandaddy of fair fare, the original corn dog made its debut in 1942 when brothers Neil and Carl Fletcher dipped a hot dog in corn batter and fried it. Today approximately 500,000 of the original are sold each year in Texas, inspiring countless versions around the country.
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California - Chocolate-Covered Garlic on a Stick
Gilroy, California, the garlic capital of the world, inspires an unlikely combination at the state's fair: Garlic-flecked truffles. Food adventurers can find even more garlic-laden dishes at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. |
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Kentucky - Pork Butt on a Stick
In Kentucky, pork butt is no joke. For the fair this regional delicacy 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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Photo Credit: Linda Doane
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