From popsicles to corn dogs, kids love to eat anything served up on a stick. So it’s no wonder shish kebab ranks high on a list of kid favorites.
And not just American kids. The “food-on-a-stick” concept crosses borders and millenia. It predates utensils and has a home in virtually every global cuisine. Grilled skewered meats and morsels are known variously as “kebabs” (Middle East), “brochette” (France), “yakitori” (Japan), “shashlik” (Russia), “satay” (Southeast Asia), “spiedini” (Italy), “anticuchos” (Peru), and more throughout the world. And whether cooked on a backyard grill or in the kitchen on a grill pan, all are ready in minutes, making them perfect time-strapped moms.
But keep the metal skewers in the drawer and opt for the bamboo kind instead. After all, it’s not just serving dinner on a stick that’s fun, it’s eating dinner from one.
—Story and recipes by Laraine Perri, a food writer in New York City.
This article was originally published as Dinner on a Stick on Relish.com.
