What's a Funnel Cake?

What's a Funnel Cake?
Have I been living under a rock or is this just an east coast kind of thing?
Last fall Linda and I were driving near Atlantic City on our way to Maine when Linda had to stop and make a deposit$$$ at her Harrah's casino. While she was slamming a slot machine I walked the board walk. I noticed a few vendors touting "funnel cake" never saw anyone eating one nor did I see how there were made. Saw a few squiggly oily things siting near a deep fryer so I figured they are a kind of dough nut .............. now I was reading where our Al-The Mayor's lady likes them..................... Fill me in please.

Just a batter poured thru a funnel into a deep fryer to make a fried type pastry (bread) of sorts... Finish it off by dusting some powdered sugar or cinnamon on it.. Very common at fairs and carnivals...

It is also often topped with apple, blueberry or cherry pie filling for an additional fee.

Frank, Vic gives a good description. The batter is a bit lighter than pancake batter. You drizzle it into the deep fat making what looks like a meaningless doodle of lines of dough that fries quickly into a flat almost waffle-like shape. Most are sugar dusted after being removed from the grease and allowed to cool slightly. Here in our area it is common to dump fresh berries or even a drizzle of Hot Fudge sauce around the top. Cost around $3.00 and leaves a white powder residue on the face and clothing that if the person was in San Jose would probably draw attention from the local Police Narc Squad !! Here it just gets an envious stare from all the little kids who see you !

I get my annual funnel cake fix at the Del Mar Fair, where the concession stand decor seems to imply a Dutch origin for said goodie. Anybody know if that's a good assumption?

Not much closer to San Jose, but if you're ever at Knott's Berry Farm look for funnel cake near the exit of the log ride. (disclaimer: info may be outdated, it's been about 5 yrs since I was there)

I think there is a mix available at the supermarket that comes in squeeze bottle and you can make them at home. I think it is in the baking aisle. Around here it is, anyway. Now I am craving them...

Funnel cakes are the same thing as elephant ears.
Ooh, I want one now...
The only place I can get them is at the faire or carnivals.

They are especially good with loads of powdered sugar on top.

quote:

Originally posted by Élistariel

Funnel cakes are the same thing as elephant ears.

Around here (Midwest), they are similar, but not the same. Funnel cake batter is thinner (to pass through the funnel), while the elephant ears are made from a "stiffer" dough (many times looking like "canned" biscuit dough) which is stretched by hand before being plopped into the hot grease. As a result, the finished products look different.....the funnel cake like a intertwined latticework and the elephant ear.....well, like an elephant's ear.