What Ho, Yon Fritter

The apple fritter may be one of the oldest fritters known in Europe, but since the term “fritter” refers more to a technique than a food, it’s easy to see where there’s been quite a bit of variation. Medieval and Renaissance tables featured all manner of fritters, from fruits to root vegetables, pieces of meat, fish, nut conglomerations, mixed herbs, edible flowers and leaves, even cheese curds, which sort of gives me new respect for the food vendors at the Wisconsin State Fair. Yes, it seems that just like us our pre-industrial European forebears were willing to fry just about anything that wasn’t nailed down. And also like us, they were relentlessly shamed by their physicians who called fried food “unhealthful” and even “indigestable”. The fact that none of them listened is I supposed evidenced by the fact that they’re pretty much all dead now. When will we learn to listen to the experts, people. When?!