71 replies to this topic

[Teri Everitt]

I'm thinking of having a "Food on a Stick" themed potluck next weekend. I will be making:

Peanut butter cheesecake (on a stick of course) dipped in chocolate and crushed peanuts.

Roasted fingerling potatoes with various dipping sauces (aioli, chipotle mayo, whatever) on sticks

Mini sandwiches(3 different kinds) threaded onto skewers.

There will also be a fake "First aid station" stocked with cotton, gauze bandages and eyepatches.........in case of any tragic "food on a stick" related incidents.

So, what would you bring to a "Food on a stick" party?

[LynDel]

Nothing really creative here.

Teriyaki beef and/or chicken on a stick.
Or beef and vegetable kabobs.
shrimp (too expensive?)

Marshmallows, I always think of roasting marshmallows.

[moosnsqrl]

I've been threatening for years to quite my day job, move to San Francisco, and start a "Squid on a stick" stand on Fisherman's Wharf. Everyone sells those boring little plastic cups full of crab shards and chowder. I think if you skewered the rings (from the body sac) through the center on both sides (creating a 'butterfly' affect) and piled 5 or 6 rings on each stick, with a lovely tentacle on top, it would be quite attractive (in a Farallon sort of way).

My friends think I'm nuts. They might be right on this one.

[LynDel]

Oh, I forgot. When I visited Brazil, some street fairs would sell pineapples on a stick. It was a cored, cleaned half pineapple on a stick, like an apple.

[DTBarton]

Corn dogs, of course.

[WolfChef]

Shrimp.

[I_call_the_duck]

Oh, I forgot. When I visited Brazil, some street fairs would sell pineapples on a stick. It was a cored, cleaned half pineapple on a stick, like an apple.

Which reminds me of a mango on a stick. It's carved like a rose. Pretty, but probably too messy for a party.

[judiu]

Chunks of fruit in a slightly tart, minty marinade (tart so the fruit doesn't discolor);
apples, bananas, papaya and maybe mango.

[scubadoo97]

Chk or beef satay
grilled kabobs of ground meat, onions, parsley and Middle Eastern spices
second the grilled shrimp on a stick. Yum the squid sounds really interesting

[mizducky]

An old boss of mine who hailed from Minnesota had a running joke going with us employees about the myriad foods-on-a-stick glories of her home state's fair. I think the one that really knocked us all over laughing was fried walleye on a stick.

Somewhat more seriously: onions--whether in chunks, halves, or slices, the stick is an absolute boon here, keeping all the rings/layers/whatever together. You can grill 'em, broil 'em, or (in the case of slices) tempura them.

For that matter, you can string appropriately-sized chunks of most any vegetable and either broil/grill or tempura them. Some harder veggies should probably be parcooked in advance. Season them up all sorts of different ways, match with any number of sauces/dips.

Also consider sate, yakitori, and other skewered cuisines from around the world.

[kiliki]

In Chow Magazine last year, there was an article on "killer apps"-they asked caterers what their most popular items were. One, which I made and was a HUGE hit at a party, was just steak (they called for NY Strip but I was cooking for non-foodies and I used top sirloin) cut into cubes an inch or so square, marinated in a soy sauce mixture, then sauteed, rolled in red chile jelly and skewered.
If you want the exact recipe let me know and I'll dig it out when I get home.

[Mano]

Soup





That way I don't eat too much.

[jkonick]

Yakitori with liberal amounts of shichimi... mmmm.

[Pallee]

Funny timing! I just got home from teaching a cooking class to high schoolers and one of the things we made was fruit kabobs with a lemon honey yogurt dipping sauce. We talked about food on a stick and how everyone loves it. Even the kids who claimed not to like fruit got into this and ate it up.

[Toasted]

Polenta on a stick. Make the polenta (put anything you want in to it but make it extra firm) spread out into a pan and refridgerate overnight. Cut into squares and skewer on to sticks. Spray with olive oil and broil it in the oven until brown or grill it. Serve this with: marinara sauce, pesto, gorganzola cream sauce (my favorite) or all in little dipping bowls. Really good and perfect for cookouts as well.

[tejon]

In Chow Magazine last year, there was an article on "killer apps"-they asked caterers what their most popular items were. One, which I made and was a HUGE hit at a party, was just steak (they called for NY Strip but I was cooking for non-foodies and I used top sirloin) cut into cubes an inch or so square, marinated in a soy sauce mixture, then sauteed, rolled in red chile jelly and skewered.
If you want the exact recipe let me know and I'll dig it out when I get home.

I'd be interested!

[Teri Everitt]

Soup





That way I don't eat too much. 

I think I'll pass on this one........I don't know if my friends would want to wear bibs!

[Ling]

-cherry tomatoes, basil, little balls of mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and balsamic

-chocolate truffles?

-grilled watermelon and feta cubes?

[rooftop1000]

tricolor tortellini with a vinaigrett to dip into...Pasta Salad
small bunches of mesclun mix....same
cucmber chunks, cherry tomato and mozz....same
FONDUE maybe boiled potatoes
Dessert Fondue...strawberries, grapes, angelfood cake, marshmallows
cocktail weenies....sweet mustard sauce
mini meatballs...chili grape sauce


this sound like as much fun as my oil fondue party was


tracey

[barolo]

Here's a few ideas, nothing earth shattering. Tortellini with a few dipping sauces, cheese baked olives, a small cube of cheese, a grape tomato separated by a folded basil leaf, fruit and cubes of cake alternating, grapes coated in a mixture of cream cheese, goat cheese and herbs, felafel, little kibbeh, stuffed dates.

[Toasted]

Here's a few ideas, nothing earth shattering.  Tortellini with a few dipping sauces, cheese baked olives, a small cube of cheese, a grape tomato separated by a folded basil leaf, fruit and cubes of cake alternating, grapes coated in a mixture of cream cheese, goat cheese and herbs, felafel, little kibbeh, stuffed dates.

Sounds great to me! Now how do you make those cheese baked olives? The cubes of cake and fruit have me drooling. I'm thinking mango and chocolate carmel cake cubes with some white chocolate drizzled over or maybe some rasperry puree-so many options. So hit us with the cheese baked olives when you get a chance, K?

[jmcgrath]

In Chow Magazine last year, there was an article on "killer apps"-they asked caterers what their most popular items were. One, which I made and was a HUGE hit at a party, was just steak (they called for NY Strip but I was cooking for non-foodies and I used top sirloin) cut into cubes an inch or so square, marinated in a soy sauce mixture, then sauteed, rolled in red chile jelly and skewered.
If you want the exact recipe let me know and I'll dig it out when I get home.

I'm disappointed in you. If they asked for and paid for NY strip, that is what they should have received.

Jim

[CanadianBakin']

What an excellent idea for a party! I might have to steal it. Most of my ideas were mentioned already. The only other one I can think of is my husband loves blue cheese with pears, apples or melon. That would probably be good on a skewer.

[zilla369]

You people. You people with your cheesecake, polenta, blue cheese, goat cheese, and grilled watermelon - on a stick.

Optimists, right?

I have problems in believing in the structural integrity of a few of these suggested skewerees.

[Marmish]

In Chow Magazine last year, there was an article on "killer apps"-they asked caterers what their most popular items were. One, which I made and was a HUGE hit at a party, was just steak (they called for NY Strip but I was cooking for non-foodies and I used top sirloin) cut into cubes an inch or so square, marinated in a soy sauce mixture, then sauteed, rolled in red chile jelly and skewered.
If you want the exact recipe let me know and I'll dig it out when I get home.

I'm disappointed in you. If they asked for and paid for NY strip, that is what they should have received.

Jim

I think that meant the caterer in the article used NY strip, not that anyone was cheated in the skewering of lesser meat.

Cheese on a stick, battered and fried like a corn dog.

[maggiethecat]

....the ever popular taffy apples, which could be tarted up in many creative ways.

[wattacetti]

moosnsqrl's already mentioned squidsickles (the first thing I thought of), but there's also things like baby octopi and quail. Given its size, the latter would probably require a slightly bigger stick to prop it up and perhaps some body armor.

I've also seen gizzards, hearts, fish balls, chunks of konnyaku and other refugee ingredients from oden served at food stalls in Taipei.

As for soup, it could technically be served on a stick if:

1. it didn't have to be served hot
2. one didn't mind eating it in the form of a popsickle

I'd have to think about what type of soup though; the ox tail jell-o was okay but I'm not sure I'd thrill to a frozen clam chowder.

A dessert on a stick that everyone would talk about? Durian (lends itself to an old colloquialism).

[kiliki]

I think that meant the caterer in the article used NY strip, not that anyone was cheated in the skewering of lesser meat.

Yes. The recipe calls for NY Strip, my boyfriend's poker playing friends got sirloin.

[Kent Wang]

I think if you skewered the rings (from the body sac) through the center on both sides (creating a 'butterfly' affect) and piled 5 or 6 rings on each stick, with a lovely tentacle on top, it would be quite attractive (in a Farallon sort of way). 

Uchi, here in Austin, makes a tako pop, baby octopus (the size of your thumb) marinated in sesame oil on a stick and grilled. One of my absolute favorite dishes.

[moosnsqrl]

I think if you skewered the rings (from the body sac) through the center on both sides (creating a 'butterfly' affect) and piled 5 or 6 rings on each stick, with a lovely tentacle on top, it would be quite attractive (in a Farallon sort of way). 

Uchi, here in Austin, makes a tako pop, baby octopus (the size of your thumb) marinated in sesame oil on a stick and grilled. One of my absolute favorite dishes.

I knew I should have patented it