Thursday 24 March 2011

Chicken on a stick and Toadsuck

I love spring and summer in Arkansas. Like most states, Arkansas has dozens of wonderful festivals. We have a watermelon festival, daffodil festivals, they used to have a pickle one in Atkins, there’s Wildflower Weekend in West Fork, and the list goes on.
My favorite though, is one in Conway called Toadsuck Daze. Yeah, you read that right. Toadsuck….
If you want to know more about Toadsuck – like how it got its name, for example, click here.
Maybe it’s just the name, maybe it’s watching the joy on kid’s faces as they participate in the Toad Races, or watching the video of the Stuck on a Truck competition. It could also be the crafts, the rides or the music.
Nah…forget all of that. It’s chicken on a stick.
Every year I make my way to this festival for one reason. I must have chicken on a stick and a funnel cake.
Now, you must be wondering, why this festival? Lots of festivals have chicken on a stick and funnel cakes. That’s true, but where else can I take my toadally awesome fried goodies and make my trek down to the Toad Dome to watch the kiddies race toads while a Toadmaster officiates? Where else can I stand in a place called Toadsuck Square and listen to live bands play? Where else can I shop at a place called The Toad Store?
Ok, back to chicken on a stick…
I love chicken on a stick. You gotta be careful though and find the right vendor. Not all chicken on a stick is created equal.
Some chicken on a stick is just that….
Chicken…
On a stick….
But other chicken on a stick?
It’s marinated chicken, onions, potatoes, and pickles skewered on a stick, dipped in batter and deep fried to golden greasy yumminess.

I keep telling myself that one day I’ll figure out how to make this stuff so I’ll never again have to brave the crowds and traffic to pay 6 dollars for five tiny bites of chicken on a stick that I’m limited to experiencing once a year.
I’m sure there should have been commas in that sentence, but it hurt my head to try and figure it out.
Chicken on a stick…. 
And now I've lost my train of thought.
Because I lost my cell phone.
Which, after 15 minutes, I finally found sitting on top of the files inside the file cabinet.
Which was probably Karma for yesterday's post.

2 comments:

  1. There is no substitute for the greasy fair food. The atmosphere just gives it that extra oomph of flavor. You can't substitute that.

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  2. I miss Toadsuck, maybe one year, Stevie and I will make it back down for it.

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