Tuesday 16 February 2010

Churros...or if you're from Essex - Spanish Doughnuts

As I stare impassively out of the window, across the winter rain lashed gardens and roofs towards the white peak flecked Thames Estuary beyond, I have but one thought in my tiny little brain…. and that thought bizarrely is Churros.

Yes, Churros are on my mind, which for the more uncouth among you (who me?) could also be termed “Spanish Doughnuts”….
These crunchy star shaped sticks are incredibly popular in Espana, where they are quite often dipped in Chocolate and are basically superb.

Now, tuck this little nugget of information away in the back of your mind. If you’re ever in the Kings Cross/St Pancras area, just a couple of minutes down the road is the British Library.

Approach the little, 'blink and you’ll miss it' Peyton & Byrne café window on the corner…. press your eager little face to the glass and behold the wonders of the churro machine beyond… hot oil bubbles and an oversized nautilus’esque wheel is evident which, when magically manipulated by the operator squeezes out perfectly ridged shaped sticks of churro, (in an admittedly faintly obscene manner) into the molten oil…there to be briefly fried and from then to be plucked and tossed with a dusting of sugar, or perhaps cinnamon, if preferred.

I could watch it all day.

Eat your churros instantly, whilst still scorching hot – (they don’t taste the same once cooled), dipping them into the little pot of hot chocolate provided…. there’s a little shelf just outside the café perfectly placed to facilitate this task.

Yours for the ridiculously small price of couple of quid, a small piece of sunny Spain, to be devoured in defiance of the grey, endless, gloom of this grim British winter. Fantastic.


Peyton & Byrne

The British Library
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 6DB

Telephone: 020 7412 5528

28 comments:

Hollow Legs said...

I've never had churros. NEVER. Isn't that terrible? I reckon I could walk it there and back in a lunchtime...

Food Urchin said...

Agreed, they were very good. And you're right about that machine, without stating the obvious, there is something bizarre about the way that dough comes out!

Dan said...

Lizzie - not sure if it's terrible, but get your arse down there and give em a go. They're bloody gorgeous with the hot chocolate.

Foodurchin - yes the machine....it fascinates and is bizzare, we like.

Nora said...

Dear God, this is stupendous news! As someone who arrives at King's Cross whenever she gets to London - and loves churros - I'll be heading there the minute I arrive on my next trip to the Big Smoke. And, actually, I think they might make a lot of sense on a cold, British February day - just the thing to warm you up - and fill you up. Yum!

Lost in the Larder said...

I love churros, used to eat them weekly when I lived in mexico. Next time i'm up in th smoke i'll have to come seek them out. Looks good. Great post Dan.

Dan said...

Nora - perfectly placed for you it seems! Let me know what you think, and I agree - great for a cold British Feb day.

Lost in the larder - Thanks Mate, Aha, be interested to know how they compare to the ones in Mexico - any different accompanients? or just chocolate?

LexEat! said...

Hmm have eaten them in Mexico and Spain but clearly the experience is incomplete until I've eaten churros in London!

Richard said...

I remember eating Churros outside a cafe in Sevilla - we had to buy a (frankly enormous) bag of churros from one place and oddly, the hot chocolate from the place next door. Despite the supersize quantity, we managed to finish them all off, of course...

pigpigscorner said...

I've only had churros once in Barcelona. Now I know where to find them in London!

Greedy Diva said...

As much as I love really good churros, for some reason most places are really crap at making them. Good to know some decent ones are not too far away. Was this your Spanish slant on Shrove/Pancake Tuesday?

Mr Noodles said...

Churros rock. As well as this place, nearby Camino also serve churros. Bit of a guilty pleasure but I also like the fried doughnuts you get at the horseracing - churros inglese ?

Anonymous said...

Churros .... in summer, everybody sells churros in their van next to the beach.. One of my pleasure in summer

Dan said...

Lex - Its all about London, surely you must realise that by now ;)

Richard - fantastic, wish I had a fond churro recollection to share.

Pigspigscorner - cracking name!!! yep, for all your churro needs...Kings X

Carly - hahaha no. I had pancakes on Shrove Tuesday :) Churros were a few weeks back.

Mr Noodles - I had no idea Camino also sells Churros - seems like Kings X/St Pancras is the beating heart of the London Churro universe.

Fried Doughnuts you get at horseracing? never been - so not entirely sure. Are they anything like the fresh doughnuts you get at the British Seaside? (also a fantastic machine to watch in action!)

Mathilde - everyone sells churros in vans next to the beach? where's this? in Spain?

The Ample Cook said...

Same as Lizzie Dan, I'm a churros virgin. Love to try them though :)

Unknown said...

They look very impressive. Well worth a trip for churros alone. Only had them at Wahaca, where they were sinful and delicious.

Mr Noodles said...

Yes they are the same ones as you get at the seaside. I feel ashamed that I associate fresh doughnuts with winning at the races rather than the more innocent pleasures of a stroll by the sea !

franmouse39 said...

Thank you Dan - would never have known about this handy spot near King's Cross. Fantastic news!

Helen said...

I have weaknesses for very few sweet things but churros is one of them. Ice cream is the other. Oh and sometimes chocolate. Oh and then there's doughnuts. Cream cakes. Crumbles. Custard. Oh, bugger.

Dan said...

Jan - well, next time your in Spain....or Kings Cross (What a strange sentence!) give em a go :)

Laura - def sinful and delicious - nice description!

MrNoodles - hahaha I know the exact ones you mean, I can get them a 15 min walk from my house down the seafront. Superb when it's a cold evening.

Fran - Thanks :)

Helen - hahaha you sound just like me, I do love a sweet thing....mostly anything involving syrup, treacle, butterscotch or toffee....if it has one of these buzzwords involved - I'm all over it.

Anonymous said...

Great post honey, sound yummy will have to try them next time I'm in the area.
Lxx

gastrogeek said...

Wow this place sounds incredible! Must get myself down there :)

George@CulinaryTravels said...

Churros & hot chocolate had to be my favourite breakfast on holiday in Spain. Absolutely delicious. I really must try making them at home soon.

Kavey said...

Gastrogeek, this is where we were going to meet just before I headed for holidays, but we had to reschedule... so we'll get there soon!

TCake said...

Hi Dan....fab post.. can't beat Churros & hot chocolate!... did you know that Pierre Herme had opened a chocolate / macron bar in Selfridges?
Teresa

Dan said...

Lindsay - Thanks x

Rej - oui - its all about the churros.

George - be interesting to know how they turn out at home!

T-Cake - Thanks, yes I did know about Pierre Herme, and hope to get over to Selfridges to indulge myself in some macaron action pretty damn soon.

Anne said...

Reminds me of eating them in Mexico for breakfast..good times :)

Javier said...

In most of the cafes in spain everybody uses chocolate powder to make the chocolate cup. The most popular one is "Paladin a la taza"
Saying that, the best chocolate cup I tried was in a small chocolaterie in Bruges. They served you a big cup with bowling milk and some pieces of high quality chocolate to drop into the milk and then stir it up.
Happy chocolate con churros experience!

Anonymous said...

There is a fab little churros stall at Portobello Market (outside Electric Cinema) every Saturday. Fresh, hot and crispy - mmm.