Churro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image:Chocolate with churros.jpg A churro is a fried-dough pastry-based snack, which originated in Spain, and is popular in Latin America, France, the USA, and Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands. It is sometimes referred to as a Spanish doughnut or Mexican doughnut. Porras are similar but with a round thicker cross section, so named due to the fact that they usually resemble the form of a club.
Some claim that the churro is named after the shape of the horns of the Churro breed of sheep which is reared in the Spanish grasslands. This may be true as it is possible that the churro was initially invented by the shepherds of this region.
The churro is typically fried to a crunchy consistency. Its surface is ridged due to being extruded from a churrera, a syringe with a star-shaped nozzle (round for porras). Churros are generally prisms in shape, but instead of being straight they may be curled or spirally twisted.
Its size and recipe, both of which vary considerably, may determine whether it is thought of as a kind of bread, cake, or cookie.
Many churro connoisseurs swear by the combination of chocolate con churros, wherein the churro is dunked into a mug of piping hot chocolate, thick in the Spanish fashion. Churros may also be served sprinkled with cinnamon.
Like pretzels, churros are often sold by street vendors who in many cases will fry them freshly on the street stand and sell them warm or hot.
In Spain, they are available in cafes for breakfast, although they may be found throughout the day and night as a snack. Specialized churrerías can be found as street shops or as towable wagons in local fiestas.
Churros are often sold by the dozen or half-dozen.
In Andalusia (Spain), they are sold as spirals or "wheels" of deep-oil fried wheat flour dough, cut into manageable portions after the frying. These are called Calentitos or Calientes, as opposed to the potato dough version made in the rest of Spain, also sold in the region but under the name Calentitos de Papas.Churrerías may also serve porras, buñuelos, chicharrones (crisp-fried pork skin) and fried potatoes.
Churros contain a high proportion of fat due to being deep-fried.
The deep frying process produces an earthy, appetizing smell (hence their attraction to street vendors).
Filled straight churros are found in Cuba (with fruit, such as guava), Brazil (with chocolate, doce de leite, among others), and in Argentina (usually filled with dulce de leche, but also with chocolate and vanilla). In Spain they have a considerably wider diameter to allow for the filling.
Outside of Hispanic street stands and eating establishments, churros are notable for their inclusion as a sports stadium snack food in the U.S.
A sweet Turkish 'fluted fritter', which seems to look similar to churros, is called Tulumba Tatlisi.
Churro stands are found throughout Disney theme parks, which is where Americans often encounter churros for the first time.ca:Xurro de:Churro es:Churro eo:Benjeto fr:Churro it:Churro hu:Churro ja:チュロス pt:Churro fi:Churro
