Apparently yes. At the Iowa State Fair. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous (at least in Iowa) butter-carved cow that’s the mascot of the event.

So people going to the Fair, and that includes Republican politicians who are in Iowa for the straw poll, can eat this hunk of cholesterol on a stick. In fact Sarah Palin said she’s looking forward not only to fried butter on a stick, but also fried cheesecake on a stick and fried twinkies. Go for it lady.

None of those peas for that woman.

For a truly funny take on the fried butter and stuff, take a look at this article. And for a bittersweet taste of why Palin would talk about fried butter on a stick, read this one.

It’s not a whole pound of butter, by the way. The vendors cut a 4-tablespoon hunk, dip it in cinnamon-flavored batter and fry it in a barrel of fat. The outside gets crispy and the inside is, well 1/4 cup of melted butter. Sort of a sweet version of Chicken Kiev without the protein.

I’ll stick with peas. Like in this terrific potato salad.

Potato Salad with Peas

2 pounds small red bliss potatoes

1 cup thawed frozen peas (or briefly cooked fresh peas)

1/4 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped chives

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes if desired. Cut the potatoes into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Add the peas. While the potatoes are still warm, mix the olive oil, wine vinegar and mustard together and pour over the potatoes and peas. Toss ingredients to coat them with the dressing. Add the parsley and chives and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. If you refrigerate the salad, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings