Fried dough
Encyclopedia
.
Fried dough is a North America
n food associated with outdoor food stands in carnival
s, amusement parks, fairs, rodeos, and seaside resorts (though it can be made at home). Fried dough is the specific name for a particular variety of fried bread made of a yeast dough; see the accompanying images for an example of use on carnival-booth signs. Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread, fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, Whales Tails, tiger ears, pizza frita, frying saucers, scones (unrelated to scones), buñuelos
in the case of smaller pieces. In New England, they're also known as either totteeters (smaller in size) or tottellers (which are comparatively larger in size). Also known in Maine as "grampa's". These foods are virtually identical to each other, and recognizably different from other fried dough foods such as doughnut
s, beignet
s, or fritter
s.
In Canada, pieces of fried dough were sometimes called beaver tails. According to Bill Castleman, a writer of books on Canadian word origins, the name referred to quick-baked dough "especially in early 19th-century places where people might camp for one night and where there was no frying pan." In 1978, Pam & Grant Hooker of Ottawa, Ontario founded the BeaverTails
chain of restaurants specializing in the sale of fried dough pastries which are hand stretched to the shape of a beaver's tail.
A smaller Italian variant common in North America is the zeppole
.
Tottellers and totteeters are a New England variants on fried dough—usually served at breakfast, usually with melted butter. Other condiments (like salt, pepper, or soy sauce) may be added.
Similar food is found in Europe, also typically from outdoors stands in fairs. For example, in continental Croatia
fried dough is known as languši.
a portion of risen yeast
dough. The dough acquires an irregular, bubbly appearance from being fried.
The dough may then be sprinkled with a variety of toppings, such as granulated sugar, powdered sugar
, cinnamon
, fruit sauce, chocolate sauce, cheese
, maple syrup
, whipped cream
, tomato sauce
, garlic butter, lemon juice, honey
, butter
, nuts, or a combination of these.
Fried dough is a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n food associated with outdoor food stands in carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
s, amusement parks, fairs, rodeos, and seaside resorts (though it can be made at home). Fried dough is the specific name for a particular variety of fried bread made of a yeast dough; see the accompanying images for an example of use on carnival-booth signs. Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread, fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, Whales Tails, tiger ears, pizza frita, frying saucers, scones (unrelated to scones), buñuelos
Buñuelos
A Buñuelo alternatively called bimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, burmuelo, bonuelo; ) is a fried dough ball. It is a popular snack in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, and is a tradition at Christmas, Ramadan and among Sephardic Jews at...
in the case of smaller pieces. In New England, they're also known as either totteeters (smaller in size) or tottellers (which are comparatively larger in size). Also known in Maine as "grampa's". These foods are virtually identical to each other, and recognizably different from other fried dough foods such as doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
s, beignet
Beignet
A beignet in the U.S. is a pastry made from deep-fried dough, much like a doughnut, and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, or frostings. Savory versions of beignets are also popular as an appetizer, with fillings such as maple or fruit preserves....
s, or fritter
Fritter
A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and deep fried. Although very similar to a doughnut it differs in the fact that it requires some base ingredient beyond the dough it is cooked with.-Anglo-American fritters:...
s.
In Canada, pieces of fried dough were sometimes called beaver tails. According to Bill Castleman, a writer of books on Canadian word origins, the name referred to quick-baked dough "especially in early 19th-century places where people might camp for one night and where there was no frying pan." In 1978, Pam & Grant Hooker of Ottawa, Ontario founded the BeaverTails
Beaver tail (pastry)
BeaverTails are a Canadian-based chain of pastry stands operated by BeaverTails Canada Inc. The chain's namesake product is a line of fried dough pastries, individually hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail...
chain of restaurants specializing in the sale of fried dough pastries which are hand stretched to the shape of a beaver's tail.
A smaller Italian variant common in North America is the zeppole
Zeppole
A zeppola or St. Joseph's Day cake, also called sfinge, and in Rome Bignè di S. Giuseppe, is a pastry typical of Roman, Neapolitan and generally peninsular Italian cuisine...
.
Tottellers and totteeters are a New England variants on fried dough—usually served at breakfast, usually with melted butter. Other condiments (like salt, pepper, or soy sauce) may be added.
Similar food is found in Europe, also typically from outdoors stands in fairs. For example, in continental Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
fried dough is known as languši.
Preparation
Fried dough is made by deep-fryingDeep frying
Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used....
a portion of risen yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
dough. The dough acquires an irregular, bubbly appearance from being fried.
The dough may then be sprinkled with a variety of toppings, such as granulated sugar, powdered sugar
Powdered sugar
Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar, is very fine sugar. When intended for home use, it typically contains a small amount of anti-caking agent....
, cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
, fruit sauce, chocolate sauce, cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
, whipped cream
Whipped cream
Whipped cream is cream that has been beaten by a mixer, whisk, or fork until it is light and fluffy. Whipped cream is often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, in which case it may be called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly ....
, tomato sauce
Tomato sauce
A tomato sauce is any of a very large number of sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish...
, garlic butter, lemon juice, honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
, butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
, nuts, or a combination of these.
External links
- St. Petersburg (Florida) Times article, Distinction between funnel cakes and elephant ears