Spring has finally arrived, and summer is just around the corner. Goodbye mukluks . Helloooo flip-flops ! There are many wonderful things about the great annual thaw—songbirds outside your window; walking through the grass in your bare feet; boat rides at the lake; and, of course, summer food. There are so many foods that just don't taste right in the middle of winter, among them food on a stick .

Food on a stick is practical; it keeps your fingers clean and cuts down on the need for plates and silverware. Food on a stick is universal , found in cultures the world over. But one thing that is uniquely American is our love affair with food on a stick at the fair .

Fair food on a stick can be found across the country , but the Midwest—at least Minnesota —seems obsessed with the idea. The idea has been around 10 or 15 years, but the last few years it has taken off. Sure, there is the obvious fare: cotton candy, pickles, corn dogs , and pronto pups . (I won't start in on the corn dog vs. pronto pup debate .) But there is an entire menu of things  that aren't normally found on a stick: macaroni and cheese, pancakes and sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, all on a stick. Other options include a Reuben sandwich, pizza, Scotch eggs, and hot dish  on a stick. (Hot dish is what I believe people in other places call a casserole .)

Dessert is where it really gets good; chocolate-covered nut rolls, deep-fried candy bars, and deep-fried cheesecake on a stick. Luckily, food on a stick allows you to keep moving while you eat and burn off some of those calories!