If you have ever visited Spain or one of the Latin Americas, you probably know of the deliciously famous “churro.” Usually sold from street stands or roving food trucks, this doughy, crunchy, greasy snack rolled in cinnamon and sugar defies anyone wanting to avoid fried foods. This treat is an exception.
Here in Vallarta, several favorite vendors have neighborhood devotees arriving daily, from kids to grandparents. Tourists who happen on one of these vendors will rave to their friends back home.
So, where did the churro originate? There are several stories, some based on ancient historical notes. The Portuguese claim their early sailors brought the idea back from their travels to China, where fried dough is a typical food.
Other claims come from Spain. It is thought the shepherds invented the churro to answer their desire for a hot pastry while living for months in the hills tending their sheep, as the dough was easily fried over their open campfires.
According to food historian Michael Krondl, today’s churro is not that different from a recipe for a flour and water fritter that you find in Apicius, a Roman cookbook dating from the 1st Century AD. There are recipes from the Ancient Greeks, but they are probably even older than that.
In the Mediterranean basin, fried dough has been around forever. Here in Mexico, the conquistadors are credited with bringing us the churro.
The basic dough, fried in hot grease, comes plain or filled with dulce de leche, chocolate, or cajeta. The dough is a mixture of flour, water and salt. Some versions are made of potato dough. They can also contain butter, milk, or eggs.
The dough is extruded from a metal tube with a star-shaped nozzle. This gives the churro its ridges. Their finished shape varies from straight to spiral and even knotted like a pretzel. Choose the standard cinnamon and sugar coating, or try rolling it in strawberry, chocolate, or cajeta sauce before adding the sugar.
There are several churro locations here in Vallarta. I am told the oldest vendor is outside the Santa Cruz Church in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. There is a new churro store in Old Town. I even found one on a visit to Sayulita.
My favorite, however, is the mobile churro vendor Cesar and his daughter Esmeralda. They live in Las Juntas and sell their churros daily near the town center. They also bring their delicious churros to events throughout the Banderas Bay area. This is a popular activity for birthdays, baby showers, quinceañeras, and weddings. Or just for a fun party with friends. Contact Esmeralda at 322 231 5690 to make a date.
