Most people simply love churros. They are a great treat that anyone will find room for at the end of their meal. Churros have a complicated history that a lot of people will not agree on, particularly when it comes to their origins. There is a lot of controversy of who or where the churro came from, and how they have changed into the churro we know today. Eddie’s Mexican Restaurant would like to cover a brief history of churros and how they can be enjoyed today.
Are Churros from Spain, Mexico or Another Place?
One of the more popular and widely respected theories is that churros originated in Spain. However, other sources say that the churro was a Chinese dessert brought to Europe by the Portuguese. Spain then brought churros to Latin America where they evolved it to the churro we all love today. Talking with historians, they say that the churro was an adaptation of a Chinese pastry called Youtiao, which are two to four fried bread sticks that be conjoined and then eaten. The Chinese did not dress this breadstick in chocolate or sugar but instead used a dipping sauce. The sugar or chocolate filled churro was an adaptation of the Spanish. However, in Latin American, they preferred to fill the churros with fruit or the guava plant. If you were to look up what a Youtiao is, you will find most people will call it a Chinese fried doughnut and is considered to be a breakfast pastry. When the Portuguese brought the churro to Europe, the Spanish shepherds really liked the pastry as they could take them with them wherever they went.
What Does the Word Churro Mean?
It is said the name churro came from the Spanish shepherds, as the name was inspired by the Churra sheep’s twisted horns. Churros were not a sweet pastry, until later when sugar was added to sell them as street food. The sweet version of the churro was so popular, the other version of the churro died out. The Spanish at this time had chocolate and would also fill the churro with a melted chocolate filling. When the Spanish kept coming to Latin America, they of course brought this sweet pastry with them. As the locals and Spanish people integrated more and more this ingredients changed and so did the texture and taste of the dough.
What are Churros Made Of Today?
Modern churros are made with only a few basic ingredients. To make a churro you need water, flour, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Once the dough is made it is fried in oil. A piping bag with a star tip is used to create that iconic shape of the churro. Most people will eat a churro covered in cinnamon sugar and or dipped in chocolate. However, a churro is a universal dough that tastes great with any flavor. You can cover them in powdered sugar, make a strawberry dip and so much more. Churros even go great with ice cream. Today when people think of a churro they consider it to be a Mexican dessert. However, that is not the truth behind the origins of the churro.
Authentic Mexican Cuisine in Las Vegas, Nevada (Just Minutes from Summerlin, North LV, Paradise, Lone Mountain & Henderson, NV)
If you are have having a craving for a churro or simply want to enjoy great cuisine, come on down to Eddie’s Mexican Restaurant today!
