Food's better on a stick, cookbook author says

THIS JUST IN: Scientific research shows that food served on a stick just tastes better.

That's what Matt Armendariz writes in his new book, "On a Stick!" ($16.95, Quirk).

OK. That's not exactly true, he admits.

Research or no, he says, just about everyone anecdotally confirms it anyway. Maybe it's because food on a stick tends to be eaten in fun circumstances. You don't exactly eat it by yourself in a dark corner of the kitchen.

"It's meant to be enjoyed in fun surroundings, at parties, at state fairs," Armendariz says. "Therefore, it's going to taste better."

Mankind has cooked food on sticks probably since the invention of fire. It's an easy way to cook. It holds whatever you're cooking in place. It's a bona fide cooking method. But let's face it: It's a lot of fun to think of crazy things to put on a stick. Even the most serious gourmand has to crack a smile at a tooth-sticking candy apple or a cute-as-a-bunny cake pop.

A Los Angeles-based food photographer and stylist, Armendariz began exploring stick-based food after considering a book about street fare. He changed courses after realizing the common denominator was that it all was served on a stick.

The easy thing would have been to do a book of stunt eating, with page after page of fair food. Pork chops on a stick. Candy bars on a stick. Fried butter on a stick. One trip to the bizarre-eating frenzy that is the Minnesota State Fair would have done the trick.

What he opted for instead was balance. For every Frozen Elvis peanut butter and banana covered in chocolate on a stick, he includes a Chinese meatball or coconut shrimp recipe. Stuffed olives are a natural for party platters. So are Japanese yakitori skewers.

"It's a novelty to eat on a stick, and it's fun and silly, but I wanted to include things you would want to make again," he says.

The type of stick used in cooking also has importance. Armendariz offers a skewer guide in the book as well.

Meat and fish do well with a sprig of rosemary skewers. Candy sticks are fun for dessert pops. Sugarcane is not only organic, it brings a sweetness that balances the flavor of grilled foods. Plus, you can eat it afterward.

"It's also perfect for heavier foods," he said.

Since the book came out, readers have thrown more suggestions his way.

"(Someone said to me), 'I want to see you do chicken noodle soup on a stick.' And I said, 'You can't do that.' And now I'm thinking, 'Well, maybe you could!' Who knows?

chocolate covered pretzels recipe: Easy and Delicious Candy ...

For some of us, store-bought candy just can’t compare to the flavors of the homemade sort. Many people mistakenly believe that candy creation is a very complex process, but it doesn’t have to be! There are plenty of candy recipes available that are not only quite easy to make, but quick, as well! In this article I have included a few of my favorites for you to try out.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients: 2 inch sq. Paraffin wax

Mix the powdered sugar, cream, and butter together. Add 1 teaspoon of maple flavoring, then cover the cherries with the sugar and cream mixture. Place the cherries into the refrigerator to cool. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate, butter, chocolate chips, and paraffin wax and stir well. Dip the cherries into the mixture, then place on wax paper to cool.

Rocky Road Fudge

Ingredients: Add the chocolate chips, milk, and butter into the top portion of a double boiler. Warm over a low heat until melted. Be sure to stir constantly. Remove from the heat, then stir in peanuts and marshmallows. Line a 9 x 13-in baking dish with wax paper, then pour in the chocolate mixture. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and keep stored in the refrigerator.

Glazed Nuts

Ingredients: Add the sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, butter, and water into a sauce pan over a high heat. Stir until the mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and add salt to the mixture. Pour onto a greased countertop and allow it to cool slightly (at least until it can be handled). “Pull” the mixture until it turns a light color. Divide into portions and add color and flavoring to each portion while it is being pulled. Wrap in wax paper to store.

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