We’ve all been to dinner parties. Lunchtime potlucks are pretty common. A themed cocktail event is also a frequent occurrence.
Now, how many dip parties have you been too? Probably not very many. But wouldn’t you like to go to a dip party? I know I do.
At a dip party I don’t have to commit to an entire entree. I get to taste all kinds of new foods. I learn about different recipes and... 
I recently visited family in Iowa and forced them to endure my Saucy Dippiness. I don’t think they minded, though. At least I saw them take seconds and willingly take leftovers home, which leads me to believe they enjoyed themselves.
But then again, my mom and nephew did a lot of the cooking, so they probably weren’t as scared as they could’ve been.
Three things made this day a special... 
Nope, not my Uncle Phil. This one belongs to my good friend and fellow Dipstock attendee, Katie.
Phil and Katie reign from the foodie nation of Wisconsin…turns out those folks know good cheese, good brats, and good saucy bacon appetizers.
Katie made Uncle Phil’s bacon wrapped water chestnut recipe for last week’s event. It was a huge hit for more reasons than one–the most important... 
Sure, you think of sauces and dips and you think of a marinara sauce and a seven-layer dip, but that’s not what it has to mean all the time. At least it doesn’t to me, as evident in one of the items featured at my personal Dipstock “dip off” party last weekend.
I decided to take saucing and dipping one step further with a little bit of Mexican beer (sauce) and a couple of spicy... 
No better way to christen the Saucy Dipper than with a pint. Last Thanksgiving I delighted in this Shipyard Ale…the rim dipped in a cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg mixture. Words can’t describe.
I am not waiting for the holidays to drink this one again. Cheers!
