On A Stick!

Food blogger and professional photographer Armendiaz%E2%80%99s impressive collection of stick-mounted recipes is enough to keep county fair vendors in business for at least another decade. From expected artery-cloggers like deep-fried candy bars and corn dogs to the unexpected, like deep-fried mac %E2%80%99n%E2%80%99 cheese, cheesecake slices, and most impressive of all%E2%80%94spaghetti and meatballs, Armendiaz keeps the tone light and playful as he guides readers through the usually simple process of creating skewered delicacies. Buoyed by impressive photos, he makes the case for Cake Pops as well as inventive, tasty fare like Chicken and Waffles, in which seasoned, boneless chicken tenders are dipped in waffle batter, then fried, and a ground shrimp pattie skewered with a sugarcane stick and grilled. Traditionalists may scoff at the idea of mini pizzas, donut holes, sugar cookies, and cinnamon rolls getting a skewering, but readers who want to bring the fair home with them or liven up their next get-together will find plenty of inspiration here. (May)