FoxNewsLatino.com
As the height of carnival season comes to a close, millions of North Americans like me will soon have to greet our old winter coats and say a reluctant, albeit temporary, "adiós" to a favorite summertime treat—the churro.
You see, while the churro may enjoy a year round love affair with Latin Americans, Spaniards and residents of the southern states, those of us who endure snowy winters only get a taste of this sugar-sprinkled fried pastry during the warmer months at festivals, fairgrounds, and amusement parks.
Enjoying churros only as a snack on the street is not traditionally accurate though. Fresh churros are also meant to be savored for breakfast, dipped into thick hot chocolate or served with café con leche. This sounds like the perfect indulgence after a hard day of raking leaves or shoveling snow, so Ferris wheel or no Ferris wheel, I've decided that I'll be making my own churros to enjoy with the family over the colder months ahead.
Advertisement
While I researched recipes (there's a good one here if you want to give it a try), I also read up on the churro's controversial past.
History is divided on how exactly churros came to exist. Some say they were the invention of nomadic Spanish shepherds. Living high in the mountains with no access to bakeries, the Spanish shepherds supposedly created churros, which were easy for them to cook in frying pans over fire. Lending credibility to this version of history is the fact that there exists a breed of sheep called the "Navajo-Churro", which are descended from the "Churra" sheep of the Iberian Peninsula; the horns of these sheep look similar to the fried pastry.
Another story says that Portuguese sailors discovered a similar food in Northern China called "You Tiao" and they brought it back with them. The Spanish learned of the new culinary treat from their neighbors, and put their own spin on it by passing the dough through a star-shaped tip which gives the churro its signature ridges.
Whether Spanish shepherds, Portuguese sailors or the Chinese get the credit for inventing the churro, it was the conquistadors who introduced them to Latin America. Since then, the modern day churro has undergone various reincarnations including guava-filled churros in Cuba, dulce de leche-filled churros in Mexico and a cheese-filled version in Uruguay.
Advertisement
Straight or spiral-shaped, with or without a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, dipped in chocolate or straight out of a greasy paper bag on the street, churros, in all their creative variations, will continue to be one of my summertime favorites – and with a recipe in hand, maybe a wintertime favorite, too.
WATCH & LEARN ABOUT 'SALINAS CHURROS TRUCK' IN ECHO PARK, CA:
Tracy López is a bilingual writer living outside the DC Metro area and the founder of Latinaish.com.
Read more from Fox News Latino and be sure to check out Fighting Machismo with Minis in Mexico.
Support HuffPost
Support Diverse Stories
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
At HuffPost, we believe in lifting up stories from diverse communities across America. We want to be a place where every type of person — no matter what you look like or how you identify — can see themselves represented and their stories reflected. That's why we're committed to amplifying the experiences of marginalized people so that we all can feel seen, supported and empowered to create positive change.
Everyone should have access to these stories, which is why we're determined to keep Voices — and every other part of HuffPost — 100% free. Help us do that by contributing as little as $2.
At HuffPost, we believe in lifting up stories from diverse communities across America. We want to be a place where every type of person — no matter what you look like or how you identify — can see themselves represented and their stories reflected. That's why we're committed to sharing the experiences of marginalized people so that we all can feel seen, supported and empowered to create positive change. At Voices, our editors invest time, care and effort to bring you stories you will not find anywhere else. Because we know every voice matters and we want every voice to be heard.
Everyone should have access to these stories, which is why we're determined to keep Voices — and every other part of HuffPost — 100% free. Help us do that by contributing as little as $2. Your contribution will go a long way.
Support HuffPostncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qcHFn6eoq6RjsLC5jp6lraqpZLCpwdGrpqxlpJ2ybrTInZuepl2dtrTAzquwmKaPboBxg5hq