Dog on a Stick! The quintessential food of county fairs.

The corn dog is a venerable member of the hot dog kennel, dating back to the 1920s at least.

It's not a complicated culinary extravagance. The corn dog is a triumph of ease-of-use coupled with the satisfaction of accomplishing simultaneously the obligatory consumption of a fairway tradition and a bit of lip-smacking guilty pleasure.

In all honesty, I doubt we will ever see a gourmet corn dog with any serious credentials. When you eat a corn dog, even at home, it's not about gastronomic excellence, it's all about being at the fair.