Midwest
Pork chop on a stick, bacon-wrapped 'Twinkie' and other odd foods dominate iconic state fair
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Over a million Americans are expected to attend the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines this summer, a beloved tradition that draws food enthusiasts from all over the country.
The Iowa State Fair hit an all-time record of 1,182,682 attendants in 2024, its highest guest count since 1.17 million fairgoers attended in 2019.
The event attracts not only everyday enthusiasts but also politicians seeking to appeal to heartland Americans.
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President Donald Trump is scheduled to join thousands of visitors attending the Iowa America 250 event on Thursday. He’s slated to deliver remarks at 7:30 p.m. local time.
This summer, the state fair promises a variety of food offerings that range from classic favorites to the downright unusual. Here’s a look at some fair favorites.
1. Pork Chop on a Stick
Perhaps the most symbolic dish at the Iowa State Fair is the famed Pork Chop on a Stick.
Countless politicians have been observed eating the entrée, including Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
The Pork Chop on a Stick has been served at the Iowa State Fair for over two decades. Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump is seen eating one in 2015 in this image. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The dish is a French-cut rib pork chop that weighs 9 to 11 ounces, according to the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA).
“This is a rib pork chop with the rib bone left on, so that it can work as a handle or ‘stick,’” the association’s website notes.
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“You eat the Pork Chop on a Stick with your hands and a napkin – no utensils.”
Although it’s one of the most popular dishes at the fair, it wasn’t always so. The Pork Chop on a Stick got a chilly reception when it debuted in 1999, according to the IPPA.
“We almost had to beg people to buy them the first year,” Dave Moody, a pig farmer and longtime fair volunteer, told the IPPA. Moody added, “I think we sold around 6,000 that year.”
2. Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Another legendary dish at the fair is the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich.
The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is a Midwest regional favorite, and it’s available at multiple stands at the Iowa State Fair. (iStock)
The meal consists of a deep-fried pork tenderloin which is placed between two buns with regular hamburger fixings: onions, pickles and tomatoes.
The meat cutlet is often larger than the bun, leading to its distinctive appearance.
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The appearance of the tenderloin has been likened to Weiner schnitzel and chicken-fried steak.
The dish may appear unusual to non-Midwesterners — but the sandwich is popular in Iowa, Nebraska and Indiana.
3. Pecan Pie on a Stick
Pecan Pie on a Stick is a decadent dessert that’s only offered at the Iowa State Fair.
The dish is made with a homemade pecan-filled pie crust, which is then dipped in a chocolate caramel mixture.
As a final touch, the pie is rolled in extra pecans and bacon.
Pecan Pie on a Stick tastes like “sweet, sweet, salty goodness,” according to The Bacon Box. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The dessert is available at The Bacon Box’s stand. The dish is described as a combination of sweet and salty flavors.
“Each piece is dipped in caramel sauce and topped with bacon & pecans to make sure every bite is full of sweet, sweet, salty goodness,” The Bacon Box’s website reads.
The pie sells for $6, according to the website.
4. Deep-Fried Avocado Slices
Deep-Fried Avocado Slices are one of the very few vegetarian options available at the fair.
The dish features avocado slices that are breaded and deep-fried until golden brown.
Deep-Fried Avocado Slices are a savory snack that can appeal to Iowa State Fair attendees who abstain from meat. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
As far as deep-fried snacks go, the avocados are on the healthier side, as the fruit has been found to reduce the risk of diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease.
The snacks are sold at The Veggie Table, a vegetarian vendor.
5. Berkshire Bacon Balls
One of the fair’s meatiest dishes is Berkshire Bacon Balls, sold by The Bacon Box.
Berkshire Bacon Balls, which are sold by The Bacon Box, feature Berkshire Kurobuta pork stuffed with cheese. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The dish consists of a quarter-pound pork meatball, stuffed with cheese and bacon.
The meatball, which is served on a stick, is then wrapped with two pieces of bacon before being smoked and dipped in barbecue sauce.
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The dish is named after Berkshire Kurobuta pork, known for its distinct flavor and richness.
6. Iowa Twinkie
One of the newer dishes at the Iowa State Fair is called the Iowa Twinkie.
And it’s not as sweet as its name suggests.
The Iowa Twinkie is a rich, spicy treat consisting of pulled pork and a jalapeño pepper. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The savory treat is served at Watcha Smokin’ BBQ & Brew’s stand.
It was introduced in 2023.
The flavor-packed fare is made by stuffing a jalapeño pepper with pulled pork.
The filling also includes sweet corn and cream cheese.
As a final touch, the Iowa Twinkie is wrapped in bacon and seasoned with ranch and chives.
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Detroit — Michigan Democrats rallied their largest group of delegates in the party’s history at a state convention Sunday, even as they attempted to mend divisions that emerged during the Israel-Gaza war.
Delegates to the Michigan Democratic Party’s endorsement on Sunday elected a slate of largely progressive candidates, picking Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II as their nominee for secretary of state, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit as the nominee for attorney general and unseating University of Michigan incumbent Regent Jordan Acker in favor of Dearborn attorney Amir Makled.
Gilchrist will face off in November against the Republican nominee, Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, while Savit will compete against the GOP nominee for attorney general, Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, as well as a handful of third-party candidates.
About 7,252 delegates participated in Sunday’s convention at Huntington Place in Detroit, a record for the party, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel said.
The state Democratic Party declined Sunday to disclose the vote totals for its nominees at the convention, which is held every four years for party activists to pick nominees for every statewide office except governor and U.S. Senate in lieu of a primary election.
The chosen nominees come as the state approaches massive midterm elections, in which every statewide seat is up for grabs in the November election, as well as the 148 seats in the state House and Senate, where Democrats hope to capture a majority.
In caucus rooms at Huntington Place, Democratic leaders urged unity behind messages of affordable health care, accessible housing, opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive actions and a commitment to sweeping statewide seats in November. There was also recognition, in some meeting rooms on Sunday, of the issues that divided the party in 2024 amid protests of the Biden administration’s support of Israel in the Israel-Gaza war, and the need to fully mend those divisions in advance of the Nov. 3 election.
During the convention program on Sunday, the Israel-Gaza conflict appeared to remain a sensitive issue among some convention-goers. Protesters shouted repeatedly for a point of order, with one holding a sign that said: “Put the Palestine human rights resolution back on the agenda.” And the loudest booing, by far, occurred when U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and Acker, both pro-Israel candidates, were announced on stage in their respective U.S. Senate and Board of Regents races.
Malinda Salameh was among those booing at Huntington Place, in part to protest candidates’ support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The 31-year-old UM alumnus registered too late to be a delegate on Sunday, but attended as a guest and intends to vote in the U.S. Senate primary. Stevens has long been aligned with AIPAC, while her two Democratic primary rivals, physician Abdul El-Sayed and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, have sworn off AIPAC’s campaign cash.
“Unfortunately, they need to understand that we as people cannot stand for this anymore,” Salameh said. “We don’t want any foreign interests messing with our politics. We want money out of politics. And I think that people are sad because they’re not being heard.”
During Acker’s nomination speech, as crowds booed, Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch warned that delegates were not learning from the party’s 2024 electoral losses.
“There’s one thing that November 2024 should have taught us, is that the enemy is not in this room,” Kinloch said.
In caucuses, Democrats reckon with a divide
Abbas Alawieh, a cofounder of the Uncommitted National Movement, active in the 2024 election, told delegates, while campaigning for a state Senate seat Sunday morning, that he remained determined to ensure Arab American and Downriver communities are represented within the party.
He told The Detroit News Sunday that the party had done a good job over the past two years in making more room for all members. The record attendance, he said, is proof the Michigan Democratic Party is “trying to be the big tent party and we’ve got to continue growing that.”
“It’s clear that anti-war voters of all stripes, including Arab Americans in Michigan, are going to be critical to our path forward as Democrats,” Alawieh said. “As Democrats, we have to be proactive about reaching out to disaffected voters and voters that we’ve lost to the Republican party.”
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, pushed delegates to ask candidates seeking their vote real questions about actions to combat neighborhood pollution or their stances on federal actions in the Middle East. Pushing for those discussions among candidates will ultimately help improve the party, she said.
“We’re not anti-Democratic Party,” Tlaib said. “We’re trying to make the Democratic Party better.”
El-Sayed, a Muslim Democrat running for U.S. Senate, told members of the party’s Jewish Caucus that he would focus on issues affecting all communities, including allying against “anti-religious bigotry.”
“A lot of folks want us to pay attention to things that we might disagree on happening 6,000 miles away rather than reminding us about the things we agree on happening right here in our state,” El-Sayed said.
Regent candidates debate ‘elephant in the room’
Earlier in the day, the state party’s Jewish Caucus also heard from candidates who expressed a commitment to maintaining a place within the party for Jewish candidates and voters.
Acker, a Jewish Democrat fighting to retain his seat on the University of Michigan Board of Regents, and his fellow incumbent Paul Brown argued Acker had been targeted in his role as regent and in the nomination race. Brown called it the “elephant in the room”
Acker and Brown were running to retain their seats against Makled, a Dearborn attorney who represented several students who faced charges after protests calling on UM to divest from weapons manufacturing and Israel.
Brown argued that Acker had borne the brunt of attacks during the campus unrest and the nomination campaign.
“There’s one difference between Jordan and I,” Brown told members of the Jewish Caucus, “and that is, Jordan is Jewish, and I am not.”
Acker, a personal injury lawyer, said he wouldn’t be cowed by efforts to oust him from the board and credited Jewish Democrats with being significant leaders in civil rights fights over the decades.
“We have a message that we can send today, that we will not be pushed out of this coalition,” Acker said.
Makled, for his part, encouraged members of the Arab American Caucus also to hold their ground within the party.
“We want to make sure this electorate, this convention is giving an image of unity to the Democratic Party, that we’re collectively trying to push the better foot forward, but we’re also not afraid to stand up and speak for our issues as Arab Americans,” Makled said.
The contest between Makled and Acker was particularly heated.
Makled was criticized for reposting, and later deleting, praise for Hezbollah and antisemitic remarks on his social media account, deleted posts.
And The Guardian on Friday reported that Acker appeared to have made obscene sexual comments about a Democratic party strategist and lewd comments about a female U-M student in Slack messages.
When asked Simday about the messages by The News, Acker said the allegations were “ridiculous” and “fake.”
Acker’s attorney, Ethan Holtz, later sent a statement to The News alleging Acker “has never been on Slack” and that the messages contained elements that appeared to be “doctored.”
eleblanc@detroitnews.com
Could a UCLA baseball team that’s perfect in Big Ten play get better?
Bruins coach John Savage thinks so, which is a frightening prospect for the rest of a seemingly overmatched conference.
While Savage’s top-ranked Bruins completed a three-game sweep of Minnesota on Sunday with a 5-2 victory at Jackie Robinson Stadium — stretching their Big Ten winning streak to 21 games — he said there’s more upside to be realized.
“Offensively, we just really couldn’t get a lot going,” Savage said after his team went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded six baserunners. “We just weren’t able to put a lot together, but when that pitching and defense shows up every day, it gives yourself a chance to win, and that’s kind of what we did all three games, really.”
Those elements were so good Sunday that they overshadowed Roman Martin’s solo homer in the third inning and Will Gasparino’s two-run shot in the sixth.
Bruins left fielder Dean West made three superb catches — two leaping and one diving — and four relievers combined to give up only one run in 4 ⅔ innings. Closer Easton Hawk needed only six pitches to record a 1-2-3 ninth inning while notching his third save in as many days.
Savage credited Minnesota’s pitching after the Golden Gophers (22-17 overall, 5-13 Big Ten) held the Bruins (36-3) to an average of five runs during the series and said many of his team’s offensive struggles were situational.
“We have very, very good offensive players — some of them are in … little ruts right now, but that’s OK,” Savage said. “These guys play a lot and get a lot of at-bats; there’s a lot of ups and downs.”
When it comes to UCLA’s conference record, it’s all been up.
What it means
UCLA’s sweep is further evidence that the Bruins aren’t getting complacent because of their record.
“This culture is really solid, and these guys truly believe in one another and they’re playing for the team,” Savage said. “We’re very fortunate to have this group, and so they love playing together, so there’s no complacency and there’s no reason to because we haven’t done anything; I mean, you’re 36-3, that’s great, but at the end of the day it’s about getting better and playing your best baseball the next 75 days.”
Turning point
Spotting a dominant team an early lead is never a good idea.
That’s what happened when the Bruins struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
West led off with a single to center field, took third on Roch Cholowsky’s double to left and scored on a balk. With one out, Martin hit an RBI infield single off the pitcher’s glove. UCLA was up 2-0, and the Golden Gophers could never catch up.
Did you see that?
Minnesota did not like it when Gasparino admired his home run by lingering in the batter’s box before commencing his trot around the bases.
There was consensus in both dugouts because Savage also didn’t care for it.
“I thought he probably stayed in the box a little too long for me,” Savage said. “That’s kind of not who we are, and they didn’t like that; I wouldn’t like that either, really.”
MVP
West saved multiple extra-base hits with his catches.
Which was his favorite?
“Probably the diving one,” West said. “I think that was the coolest one. I got to leave my feet and make a play on it.”
Up next
The Bruins will open a five-game stretch of nonconference games when they host Hawaii on Tuesday evening at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
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