We’re not talking about skewers, which make grilling and serving easier; or ice pops, candy apples, or cotton candy, which require a stick to be held and eaten.

No, many foods that were once served with a fork or a toothpick, with or without a dipping sauce, are now placed atop wooden ice-pop sticks. Consider chicken nuggets, fried ravioli, meatballs, mini franks, rumaki, bacon-wrapped baby potatoes, and Caprese stacks. You can find them all on sticks.

Why? It’s fun. (We hate to think, cynically, that the movement was started by manufacturers of the ice pop sticks.)

We particularly liked the fun of watermelon slices on sticks: an idea for your upcoming Memorial Day festivities.

The idea is from South Fork And Spoon, a Bridgehampton, New York-based caterer and “food concierge” that has a website full of tempting fare for lucky Hamptonians.

Watermelon on a stick: more elegant than hands-only, more fun than a fork. Photo courtesy South Fork And Spoon.

And by the way: March 28th is National Something On A Stick Day.
 
 
IOWA STATE FAIR FOODS ON A STICK

The Iowa State Fair touts “60 foods on a stick,” from hard-boiled eggs to deep-fried brownies. The blog Brit.co features 100 foods on a stick.

Here’s a selection from both, which includes everything from junk food to elegant fare. Visit the sites directly to see the photos.
 
BREAKFAST ON A STICK

 
CANDY, FRUIT & SWEET SNACKS ON A STICK

 
SAVORY SNACKS ON A STICKv

 
 
RECYCLE THE STICKS

There’s no reason not to collect, wash and reuse wood Popsicle sticks—or Wooden Treat Sticks or craft sticks, as they are more properly known (Popsicle is a trademarked name, not a generic term). Why throw things into the landfill when they can enjoy a second (or tenth) life?
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Sure there’s Parmesan in minestrone, Cheddar cheese soup and other varieties featured in our article, Cheese In Your Soup.

Here’s an idea from Puglia, Italy for a garnish of cubed mozzarella—and anchovy, for anchovy lovers. (No lovers, just leave it off.)

RECIPE: ZUCCHINI SOUP PURÉE WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA

Ingredients For 4 Servings

Mozzarella: It’s not just for pizza and parmigiana. Photo courtesy PugliaShopPnline.com.

 
Preparation

1. TOSS together cheese, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

2. HEAT the remaining 2 tablespoons oi in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes.

3. ADD zucchini, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute more. Add broth, bring to a simmer and cook until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes.

4. CAREFULLY PURÉE mixture in a blender until smooth; season with salt to taste. Cool soup to just warm. Serve topped with cheese cubes and some chopped anchovies.

Grocers have the same challenge as other retailers: how to catch the eye of consumers with something new, and get them to spend more money.

Seeking to sell more to grocers, browers are always on the prowl for new produce varieties, with distinctive flavor and a different look from conventional supermarket varieties.

So today’s tip is: Be on the prowl for what’s new and exciting.

In the raspberry department, what’s new is Double Gold raspberries. A cross-breeding of conventional red and the newer gold raspberries, Double Golds have a deep blush color, combining hues of both red and yellow into a peach-like effect, and a distinctive conical shape.

The berries are naturally bred, never genetically modified or subjected to irradiation.

Said Courtney Weber, a Cornell University small fruits breeder and associate professor of horticulture, “If consumers get a taste of these, they will buy them.”

The variety was released to growers by Cornell, where it was bred, two years ago. The Double Gold plants bear deeply blushed, golden champagne-colored fruit in two crops per season (hence the “double” in the name). New to the retail marketplace, they are being sold under the Driscoll’s label as Sunshine Raspberries.

The plants have also been sold to u-pick growers, farm stands and home gardeners. You can buy the plants from Burpee.com.

Imagine a bowl of the three different colors of strawberries, sparkling like jewels. Or, top pound cake, angel cake or sorbet.

It’s a treat for summer entertaining!