A taste for hot-oil cuisine - funnel cakes

I was doing so well this week.

Healthy low-fat, no-fat Thai dinners, yogurt parfaits for dessert, nibbles of edamame in between meals AND four mornings on the dreadmill.

Then yesterday, my Facebook friend Jeff Houck posted a video taken at the Florida Strawberry Festival. He and a buddy wolfed down huge bowls of strawberry shortcake with scads of whipped topping in a minute and fifty-four seconds. Let me just say, "Wow, wow, wow!"

I so love all those tempting eats at the festival.

I woke up this morning jonesing for funnel cake - one of my top five must-eats at any fair or festival. A ramekin of homemade strawberry sauce on the side wouldn't hurt either.

Yeah, wholesome breakfast this ain't. My entire, health-conscious week went to custard.

I used to make funnel cakes when my girls were small. The recipe I used came from "Farm Journal's Homemade Breads - 250 Naturally Good Breads."

To find recipes for funnel cakes, donuts and fritters, you have to go all the way to the last chapter of the book.

This is a traditional German recipe for fried doughnuts (funnel cakes). Each one has its own lacy shape, because the batter is poured into a funnel, then drizzled into hot oil and fried to a golden brown. And let me just say: mmm, mmm, mmm!

FUNNEL CAKES

About 1 qt. vegetable oil

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

Powdered sugar

In a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 1" of oil to 375 degrees, using a deep-fat thermometer.

Meanwhile, into a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix milk and eggs, until well blended. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients; stir until batter is smooth.

Holding forefinger over tip of the funnel, pour a 1/2 cup of batter into it. Remove finger and move funnel in a circle to drop batter into hot oil, forming a spiral. Fry, turning once, for 2 minutes or until the batter is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter. Sift powdered sugar over cakes. Serve warm.

Makes 6 cakes.