With the biggest names in comedy all assembling in Montreal for the next couple of weeks, we thought it would be fun to be funny ourselves.  Creating cute and clever plated food isn’t just for the kids.  Many hi-end restaurants take culinary liberty with their humorous food creations.  Obviously, just for laughs.  Food should be a fun experience for all ages.

Let’s start with a few funny food quotes from some very talented comedians.  Food and eating have always been go-to subjects for those who make us laugh on stage.  We all must eat, so why not make fun of it from time to time!?

Kyle Kinane: “I was delivered an unsliced pizza.  Sounds like as simple mistake, not me, I took it personally!”

George Carlin: “What was the best thing before sliced bread?”

Mitch Hedburg: “I like rice.  Rice is great when you’re hungry and want 2000 of something...”

Performing this year at the Just For Laughs Festival are huge stars such as: Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah, Jim Jeffries, Wanda Sykes, and Jeff Ross just to name a few! This event is guaranteed to be fulfilling in fun and food creations alike.  Doing some research on these comedians in which foods they like to consume is interesting since they are usually on the road.

Kevin Hart, one of the biggest names in show biz, told Bon Appetit Mag all about his food / food creation fancies.  Kevin loves to try and stay in shape and eat healthy (so he says…), but, breaking him down, Kevin reveals that he does love his fried chicken.  It is written into his Rider. He loves his own mashed potatoes with “flair” added: Sautéed onions and season salt.  Buffalo wings, cheese steaks, and tacos top his list of fave foods.

Those with more adult humor might have seen the animated movie “Sausage Party” a few years back.  Making your own whimsical corn dogs using sausage, onions, bell peppers and some great herbs and spices will turn your backyard party into a carnival atmosphere; just for laughs!  Who can resist sausage on a stick!?

PEPPERS & ONION SAUSAGES ON STICKS

INGREDIENTS

11 hot Italian pork sausages

1 small white or yellow onion (diced fine)

1 half each (cleaned & seeded) small, green, yellow, and red bell pepper

1 large clove garlic (mashed)

1 cup whole milk

3 medium eggs

1 teaspoon each: red pepper flakes & dried Italian oregano

1 ¼ cups fine style cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups AP flour

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons mustard powder

salt & pepper

1 or 2 tablespoons oil (Peanut preferred)

¼ cup (fine chopped) fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

Warmed marinara or cheese sauce (for dipping)

DIRECTIONS

BBQ the sausages until lightly browned & cooked to 150.  Ensure proper temperatures by using an All-Clad Digital Probe Thermometer.  This great addition to the backyard fun is on sale for less than $40!  The probe and cord are safe at temps reaching 572!  And, as a gift, we are throwing in a Pot Scrubber so you can get back to the fun asap after cleaning up a bit.  Let the sausages cool for the next step.

And, just to let ya’ know, the infrared laser type gun thermometers are cool and fun!  We’re sure the kids will come up with funny bits and skits to check the food temps using these great devices.  And, for summer fun, ALL are On Sale Now!

• Taylor Dual Temperature Infrared/Thermocouple Thermometer
• Maverick Infrared Laser Surface Thermometer
• Taylor Infrared Thermometer
• Ooni IR Thermometer Gun

The next fun (& hopefully funny steps depending who is around, and who you ask), is to add the mashed garlic, onions, and bell peppers to your Le Creuset 3.7QT Caribbean Covered Sauté Pan along with a bit of peanut oil.  Cook until thoroughly softened and browned just a bit.  Transfer to a plate to cool.

Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 340 degrees F. Whisk the baking powder, 1 cup flour, cornmeal, the sugar, red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper (to taste), mustard powder, a teaspoon (or to taste) salt and the Italian oregano.  Whip the eggs and milk in one of your All-Clad Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl. Combine the flour mix to the milk mix with the parsley and beat to make a velvety batter. Now, toss in the onions & peppers.

Place the room temp sausages on a Johnson-Rose 10” Skewer. Put the remaining ¾ cup flour on a Zwilling J.A. Henckels Cutting Board.  Roll the sausages over the floured board a few times to coat.  Dip the delectable dogs into the batter and let the excess drip back into the bowl.

Time to crank up the Cuisinart!  The Cuisinart Pro Deep Fryer holds a gallon of the oil of your choice.  11 gourmet corn dogs will be ready in minutes at 350.  Typically, 4 minutes will have this summer fun dish golden brown and crazy good!  Place em’ on paper towels to drain for a second until the crowd devours them.  Either marinara or a cheese dip is absolutely outrageous as its partner in crime. Nothing humorous about the crowds devouring these food creations.

This is just a fun and whimsical take on sausage and peppers.  Playing with your food creations should always be a whimsical and funny adventure with family and friends.  Adapting different takes on food entices the palate and excites the brain.  Have fun at the Festival if you are lucky enough to attend.  Have a laugh for us all and enjoy the show!