On A Stick!

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I was so excited to open the mail and find Matt Armendariz of Matt Bites new cookbook, On a Stick, waiting for me!

On a Stick by Matt Armendariz cover

Back cover of on a stick: Here are more than 80 delicious reasons to skip the silverware. It's a party on a stick! - homemade doughnut holes, fried mozzarella, and crudite skewers

When I did my Real Food Styling & Photography Workshop with Matt and his husband, Adam, a few months back I saw the advance copy of it in their studio.

Matt and Adam holding plates
I even saw some of the dishes in their studio that appear in various shots in the book.

Blue, white, and grey plates and boards

Everything in the book is On a Stick.  Hence the title.

Some more “common” foods are featured on a stick like tofu on a stick, caprese salad on a stick, and popcorn balls on a stick.

Caramel popcorn balls on a stickCaramel popcorn balls?  Yes please! And I should try one of my tofu recipes on a stick.

The book also suggests foods you may never have thought to put on a stick like Fish Balls.

Fish balls on a stick on leaves

Or Pizza Skewers

Pizza skewersHow creative and fun!

And then there are recipes and ingredients that are new-to-me such as Dak Sanjuk.

Dak Sanjuk on a stick

And then there are some more interesting combos like Spam & Pineapple Skewers.

Spam and pineapple skewersI’ve never had Spam other than the computer kindBut I’ve got that all fixed now.  Whew.

I can’t wait to make something from this awesome book.   Like maybe Cake Pops!

Cake pops with different colored sprinklesThe photography is, of course, stellar and top shelf and makes me not only want to make food on a stick, but take more beautiful food pictures, too.

Matt is an amazing human being.  I said this in my recap of the food styling and photography workshop post, but he is just phenomenal.  He is kind, funny, gracious, patient, always smiling, easy going, and has a great sense of humor.

Picture of Matt Armendariz: Matt Armendariz is a man with a passion for good food and a wonderful life with a dash of irreverence, as evidenced by his entertaining food blog, mattbites.com. His work has been recognized by numerous shows and publications, including The New Yorker, Bon Appetit, House Beautiful, Epicurious, Serious Eats, and Everyday Food, and he's even baked cookies with Martha Stewart. He lives in Los Angeles. And obviously is a brilliant photographer, cook, and now author.

The day I spent with him and Adam changed the course of my life.  Not being melodramatic, but it really did.

I came away with Career Fantasties & Inspiration and know that photography will be a part of my future.  As will food and writing.  Not sure how things will fall into place with these career goals and dreams, but they will and I owe Matt and Adam for opening my eyes and getting my wheels turning.  And now I owe Matt for this awesome new book of his, On a Stick!

From my last post, Snack Boxes, I’m glad you enjoyed my snack food reviews and it was fun to hear what you’ve been snacking on lately, especially now that it’s summertime!

Questions:

1. What’s your favorite food to eat on a stick?

I admit, it’s been years since I’ve eaten much of anything on a stick except for Tootsie Pop suckers or Blow-Pop suckers.   I love to suck on some yummy HFCS and Red Dye #40, clearly.

But as a kid I used to eat Orange-Sherbet Popsicle-brand “Push-Ups” on a stick

Cotton candy at fairs and festivals on a stick

I was never much of a corndog eater

But I was a Girl Scout and roasting marshmallows on a stick and making smores are fun memories.

Did I mention my love of marshmallows?  I think all those campfires and marshmallows on a stick helped shape my love of marshmallow desserts!

Like Rice Krispie Treats with Vegan Chocolate Frosting (Vegan, GF)

Rice Krispie Treats with Vegan Chocolate Frosting

or

GF Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars with Vegan Chocolate Frosting

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars with Vegan Chocolate Frosting

Please excuse the photography. The recipes still work taste great even if the pictures need massive help.

2. Any favorite cookbooks in your arsenal or any you’d like to have?  Or any great book finds lately or books you’d like to have?

I recently reviewed Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks new book in this post.  

Super natural every day by Heidi Swanson coverAmazing recipes and photography in that book!

And I’d like to get my hands on Helene Dujardin of Tartlette’s new book, From Plate to Pixel

Plate to Pixel, Digital Food Photography and Styling by Helene Dujardin

I have a compilation post of 25+ cookbook reviews if you’re interested in my thoughts and take-away message on various cookbooks, that’s the post for you.  I’m adding this cookbook to the review post, too.

Have a great day!

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. My favourite foods to eat on a stick are corn dogs (LOL), and cake pops. I made cake pops for my sister’s shower and am so excited for all her friends and future in-laws to try them – they are ridiculously good!

  2. I was totally a tootsie roll and “push-up” girl, too! Lovely chemicals for this girl. Roasting marshmallows for s’mores was the best. Now, I can’t think of anything I eat that’s on a stick.

    Finding a cookbook I like is tough. I need vegetarian, gluten-free, and quick and easy recipes. That also don’t contain mushrooms, almonds or xanthan gum. I’m much too picky for cookbooks!

  3. This looks like a great book! Everything is much more fun to eat on a stick! The photography looks gorgeous and they really do have some interesting combinations. It’s nice to see that it’s more than just corndogs and kabobs. The cake pops especially look deliciously pretty!

  4. Food on sticks is always a hit; I look forward to using this book for all my summer entertaining.

  5. Seriously such an amazing book! And what a great IDEA!!!
    I am so glad you got that opportunity with them. Experiences like that shape our future and our lives forever!

  6. What a fantastic, creative idea! Food on sticks > Food on a plate
    I think I’m going to have to side with you. Marshmellows on stick over a fire = a staple in every San Diegans diet :-)

  7. Favorite food on a stick? Hmm, probably the same as my favorite warm weather food: Edy’s pineapple fruit popsicles!

  8. Nothing beats grabbing a small branch and toasting marshmallows in a fire… “on a stick” the outdoors way!

  9. i personally believe any food on a stick makes it ultimately better haha. i’m a fan of meat on a stick in the summer ala kebabs x