Fried dough
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about a particular kind of food that is known by the specific name "Fried dough."
For a comprehensive overview of many different foods that are all made by frying kinds of dough, see Fried dough foods. - "Elephant ears" redirects here. For other uses, see Elephant ear.
| Fried Dough | |
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| Fried dough | |
| Origin Information | |
| Alternate Names(s): | Elephant ears whale tails pizza frita frying saucers buñuelos doughboys |
| Country of Origin : | United States, Canada |
| Dish Information | |
| Course Served : | Dessert |
| Serving Temperature : | Warm |
| Main Ingredient(s) : | Yeast dough |
| Variations : | zeppole and Multiple others |
Fried dough is a North American food associated with outdoor food stands in carnivals, 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 signage. Fried dough is also known as elephant ears, whale tails, pizza frita, frying saucers , buñuelos, and in the case of smaller pieces, doughboys; these foods are virtually identical to each other, and recognizably different from other fried dough foods such as doughnuts, beignets, or fritters.
In Canada, pieces of fried dough are sometimes called "Beaver Tails." 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."[1] Some sources identify "beaver tails" as an Ottawa local specialty[2]. BeaverTails is the name (and Canadian trademark) of a chain of restaurants specializing in the item, founded in Ottawa in 1978.[3]
An Italian variant common in North America is zeppole.
[edit] Preparation
Fried dough is made by deep-fat-frying a portion of risen yeast dough. The dough is often served sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon or topped with fruit sauce. Sometimes, it is also topped with chocolate sauce, cheese, apple cinammon, maple syrup, whipped cream, and tomato sauce. The dough acquires an irregular, bubbly appearance from being fried.
 Fried dough stand |
 Dough being deep-fat fried |
 BeaverTail pastry at Byward Market, Ottawa |
 Beavertail from street vendor in downtown Ottawa |
[edit] References
- ^ Bill Castleman. Canadian Food Words. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
- ^ Culinary Ottawa. Ottawa Tourism. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
- ^ BeaverTails History. BeaverTails, Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
- Elephant Ear Recipe baked type.
- Elephant Ear Recipe the kind made at fairs.
- St. Petersburg (Florida) Times article, Distinction between funnel cakes and elephant ears
