On A Stick!

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

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.

I even saw some of the dishes in their studio that appear in various shots in the book.

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?  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.

Or Pizza Skewers

How creative and fun!

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

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

I’ve never had Spam other than the computer kind.  But I’ve got that all fixed now.  Whew.

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

The 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.

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)

or

GF 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.  

Amazing 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

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!