Wisconsin State Fair to feature not just any apple on a stick, but one covered with bugs

July 12, 2022 7:00 PM

Mike Tighe,

Posted: July 12, 2022 7:00 PM

Updated: July 13, 2022 8:29 AM

by Mike Tighe

Who needs kraut when you can have a Gummy Bear Brat at the Wisconsin State Fair? It's "a bratwurst infused with a sprinkling of colorful gummy bears served on a bun, then topped with a honey mustard drizzle and gummy bear garnish for a sweet and savory combination.”
Wisconsin State Fair unveils the Caramel ‘gOat’meal Bar, a mix of Goat Caramels and nuts and streusel.
Dirty Martini Dip with Homemade Chips: “If you can't drink 'em, eat 'em! The Dirty Martini Dip has all the flavors of your favorite drink minus the booze. Homemade chips make this a portable, irresistible, shareable snack at Wisconsin State Fair.
The Donut Dog at the Wisconsin State Fair is billed as “the perfect mix of savory and sweet, with a fresh glazed long john donut as a sweet bun for an all-beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep-fried.”
At the Wisconsin State Fair, the Peño Pretzel Popper Dog is a quarter-pound all-beef Nathan’s Cheddar Jalapeño Hot Dog, wrapped in fresh made dough, topped with pretzel salt and fresh cut jalapeños, baked until golden, buttered and drizzled with sharp white cheddar cheese sauce, and served with a side of house-made jalapeño cream cheese.
The Peño Pretzel Popper Brat is a 10-inch jalapeño cheddar bratwurst carefully wrapped in fresh pretzel dough, topped with coarse pretzel salt and fresh cut jalapeños, and baked until it’s golden brown. Drizzled with white cheddar sauce, and served with a house-made jalapeño cream cheese.
The Donut Dog at the Wisconsin State Fair is the perfect mix of savory and sweet. Made with a fresh glazed Long John donut as a sweet bun, and then an all beef hot dog is wrapped in bacon and deep-fried to perfection. Add a drizzle of sweet icing for the final touch.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Waffle Stick at Wisconsin State Fair.
Pickle jerky at Wisconsin State Fair.
Clam chowder fries at Wisconsin State Fair. The Love of Fries and Clam Chowder! Clam Chowder is the perfect creamy seafood poutine for fries, add bacon and chopped green onions, and it's the perfect combination to please the taste buds!
Pickle pizza at Minnesota State Fair.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (WKBT) — Just when you assume that state fair vendors have exhausted stuff to put on a stick, the Bug Apple On-a-Stick creeps onto the scene as one of 80 new foods at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Unveiled with other new foods Tuesday, the Bug Apple at the All Things Jerky stand during the Aug. 4-14 fair will be a “chocolate-covered apple … coated with edible June Bugs, Crickets, Worms, and Ants — all served on-a-stick!”

“You’ll be in a “Fun at the Fair” state of mind when you take a bite out of The Bug Apple,” All Things Jerky taunts.

Although the notice doesn’t specifically say the critters are real bugs, they sure look real in a photo — and probably are. After all, the stand specializes in exotic meat snacks, including alligator, wild boar, buffalo, kangaroo, ostrich and other meats, as well as deep fried peanuts.

If the state fairs were to enter a typical Wisconsin-Minnesota border war, the Bug Apple probably takes the cake on the Badger State’s new food list, compared with new foods announced for the Minnesota State Fair, which will take place in Falcon Heights Aug. 25 through Labor Day.

Well, the Gopher State menu’s new items do include a pickle pizza, which could be a dream for pickled pizza people or a nightmare for pepperoni preferences. Rick’s Pizza, a new vendor, offers quite a dill, with its promise of a “and-tossed homemade pizza dough topped with homemade specialty dill ranch sauce, fresh mozzarella and crunchy dill pickles, and finished with dill weed seasoning.”

Not to be outdone in the pickle patch, a Wisconsin vendor is offering pickle jerky on a stick.

Other new offerings at the Wisconsin State Fair include:

Gummy Bear Brat, “bratwurst infused with a sprinkling of colorful gummy bears served on a bun, then topped with a honey mustard drizzle and gummy bear garnish for a sweet and savory combination.”
Chicken Bacon Ranch Waffle Stick, which Waffle Stix bills as the addition of ranch and bacon “to our extremely popular Chicken Waffle Stick and BAM! Juicy white meat chicken baked inside a delicious Belgian waffle. Served on-a-stick, drizzled with ranch dressing, and topped with real bacon!
Dirty Martini Dip with Homemade Chips: “If you can’t drink ’em, eat ’em! The Dirty Martini Dip has all the flavors of your favorite drink minus the booze. Homemade chips make this a portable, irresistible, shareable snack.”
The Donut Dog is billed as “the perfect mix of savory and sweet, with a fresh glazed long john donut as a sweet bun for an all-beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep-fried.
The Peño Pretzel Popper Brat is a 10-inch jalapeño cheddar bratwurst wrapped in fresh pretzel dough, topped with coarse pretzel salt and fresh cut jalapeños, and baked until it’s golden brown. Drizzled with white cheddar sauce and served with a house-made jalapeño cream cheese.
Peño Pretzel Popper Dog is a quarter-pound all-beef Nathan’s Cheddar Jalapeño Hot Dog, wrapped in fresh made dough, topped with pretzel salt and fresh cut jalapeños, baked until golden, buttered and drizzled with sharp white cheddar cheese sauce, and served with a side of house-made jalapeño cream cheese.
Pickle Jerky On-a-Stick is pickle-infused beef jerky on a stick, of course.