Thanksgiving on a stick! The Denver County Fair throws a party for its cookbook

The folks who put on the Denver County Fair last July didn't have a lot of control over the food sold at the event: The concessionaires came with the National Western Stock Show venue. But they're making up for any complaints about that with their very tasty Denver County Fair Cookbook, which includes both great dish (family secrets!) and recipes for many of the fair's prize-winners, along with bonus recipes from star cheCharles Phoenix, who provided the formula for Fried Cereal and his multi-dish "Tiki Turkey Thanksgiving Dinner" -- complete with everything from a tiki-molded turkey to lava gravy for the mashed-potato volcano.

And there will be still more reason to give thanks at the Denver County Fair Cookbook launch party that runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, November 19, at TAXI.

The fair's new entertainment director, Andrew Novick (he hosted the X-Treme Pancake Breakfast last summer), will be serving his new creation: Thanksgiving on a Stick.

"Everything's better when it's served on a stick," notes Dana Cain, co-director of the fair with Tracy Weil. The book also features some of Novick's musings, and anyone who buys a copy at the launch party (it's $17.95) will get an exclusive insert featuring Novick's Thanksgiving on a Stick recipes.

The party is free; enter through Fuel, at 3455 Ringsby Court. You can also buy books online at www.denvercountyfair.org.

This story originally appeared in Cafe Bites, our weekly e-mail newsletter devoted to Denver's food and drink scene, which arrives in e-mail boxes every Wednesday afternoon. You can subscribe here.