Street Food, try the pig likker

Fast Lane Definition

Street Food-Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a market or fair, by a hawker or vendor, often from a portable stall.  While some street foods are regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. Most street food are both finger and fast food. Street food costs less than a restaurant meal. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 2.5 billion people eat street food every day.

Street food is intimately connected with take-out, junk food, snacks, and fast food; it is distinguished by its local flavour and by being purchased on the street, without entering any building. Both take-out and fast food are often sold from counters inside buildings.

Culinary Quote Du Jour

“When people wore hats and gloves, nobody would dream of eating on the street. Then white golves went out of style and, suddenly, eating just about anything in the street became OK."

Jane Addison,quoted in the ‘Great Food Almanac’ 

Street food is some of the most vibrant and alive food in the universe!  I remember getting soft pretzels from a cart in front of the Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia on a cool day that had been warmed over a coal fire, awesome food simple, no mustard on mine please.  Who doesn't enjoy a Sabretts hot dog with cooked onions?  I tried to duplicate those onions and was way over thinking it, like all street food it was fast and easy.  When you go to the Orient you are in for a street food treat, many cultures can't afford to dine in restaurants, so the cheap eats of food vendors is all they can afford.  While watching the Olympic in China there is nothing the Chinese won't put on a stick and fry; water-bugs, starfish, scorpions, seahorses and snakes oh my!   Food on a stick is probably the most popular; here in American, we have ice cream, corn dogs, fried snickers and pig likkers.  At the North Carolina State Fair, any fair is a concentration of street food;  thick cooked bacon is threaded on a stick and dipped in chocolate.  An abomination,  but you will wait in line for it and the pig likker is good.  


In America we have a new truck movement, this had made street food very portable and accessible to those that may not have been able to take advantage of street food before.  Starting out as trucks that catered to the American laborer, these trucks carried cold drinks, coffee, pre-made hot food and sandwiches. Those times are long gone moving to step vans and trailers, your choices are limitless.  I've seen Korean tacos,classic French cuisine featuring  foie gras, Cajun cooking and classic desserts and cakes.  


The keys to street foods success is that it is good food, prepared fresh, fast and cheap.  The cooks and chefs are able to be more creative with locally available ingredients and vary their menus to offer food with a flair and flavor.  Even restaurant owners are putting street food on their menus, helps keep cost down and is an easily recognizable comfort food.


The next time you are out and about, try street food for lunch, you won't be disappointed.  When the fair comes to town, buy different dishes and split them with you friends and family, try stuff you might not eat.  By purchasing street food you are keeping your money local and supporting an aspect of your community that truly adds a unique touch.