Churros, Spain
Call them donuts, doughnuts, fritters, fried dough. There is something so simple and yet so magical when dough—sweet or savoury—meets hot oil. Baked dough, or bread, is heart-warming but fried dough is a treat. It can be festive and decadent or humble and everyday, and almost every cuisine has at least one fried dough speciality. Deep-frying has a stigma about it, but try to put that aside and just enjoy, besides, when done properly—right timing, right temperature—deep-fried goodies should be greaseless, if not virtuous.
Most of us are familiar with, if not addicted to, the typical North American doughnut, from powdered to chocolate glazed to jelly-filled. But why not expand your fried dough horizons? Explore the specially shops, bakeries, and cafés in your town for these delights from around the world.
Churros
Though originating in Spain, these crunchy, ridged curls are now popular throughout Latin America, France, Portugal, North America, and Caribbean islands with a Spanish history. These tube-like doughnuts got their name as their shape resembles the horns of the Spanish Churro sheep. Enviably the Spanish enjoy churros for breakfast, dunked in thick hot chocolate, guiltlessly, I presume!
