By Mid-August. The peaches at the farmers market. The corn at every roadside stand on the way to Bradley airport. The state fair posters going up. Hartford in its short, intense, beautiful late summer. I made peach cobbler Saturday. Eduardo ate three servings. He said, "Carmen, you do not make peach cobbler often." I said, "Eduardo, peaches are only good for two weeks." He said, "Carmen, then we should do this every August." I said, "Eduardo, we will."
Tuesday food bank: pollo asado with rice. Yolanda lead. Marcus rice. The line was long because the food bank had partnered with a clothing pantry next door and the foot traffic was heavier. Mr. Patterson did onions and also did a small unofficial greeter role at the door because he knew most of the regulars and helped the new visitors find the line. Brian noticed. Brian said, "Mr. Patterson, can we make you the official front-door person?" Mr. Patterson said, "Mr. Brian, only if I still get to chop." Brian laughed.
Wednesday Mami slept all day. Carmen the aide texted me at noon: she is sleeping deeply, no concerns, just tired. I drove over at 4. I sat. Mami did not wake. I held her hand. Her breathing was steady. She felt smaller than usual. I noticed because the bedspread looked larger on her than it had a week before. I did not press it. I sat for an hour. I drove home.
Thursday Mami woke briefly, ate broth, slept. Friday she was awake longer — three hours — and ate a full bowl of sopita. She said, "Carmen, the salt is correct." I wrote it down. I have been writing down every "salt is correct" she gives me for two months. I have nineteen entries. The notebook is becoming an oral history.
Sunday dinner: small. The grandchildren were at a wedding in Boston with Jenny's family. Just Eduardo, me, Sofía, Rosa, Carlos. Five people. I made a small pernil — three pounds — and the standard sides at half scale. We ate at the dining table that has been part of the kitchen since 2019. Rosa said, "Ma, what is the plan for your sixtieth?" I said, "Mija, I do not want a plan." Sofía said, "Ma, you are getting one." I said, "Mija, I know. Resign me to it." Sofía said, "Ma, I am throwing a small thing. Saturday September 27. Eight people. At our house. Just the immediate family." I said, "Mija, that is acceptable." She said, "Ma, you have approved." I said, "Mija, I have approved with conditions. The condition is small. Define small." Sofía said, "Ma, immediate family means us, our spouses, the grandkids, Mami if she can, Ana if she can. Ten to twelve people max." I said, "Mija, deal." Wepa.
The state fair posters were already going up on the drive to Bradley, and Eduardo’s three servings of cobbler had me thinking about the whole short, bright window of late August — the way everything good seems to arrive at once and ask you to pay attention. Funnel cake is state fair to me the way peaches are farmers market: specific to a season, specific to a feeling. With Sofía’s small party on the calendar and Mami’s “salt is correct” still warm in my notebook, I wanted something that tastes like celebration doesn’t have to be complicated — just hot, sweet, and made right now while the moment is here.
Funnel Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until the batter is smooth with no lumps. It should be thin enough to pour easily but coat the back of a spoon.
- Heat the oil. Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. Use a thermometer for accuracy — too cool and the cake absorbs oil, too hot and it browns before cooking through.
- Fry the funnel cakes. Using a funnel, squeeze bottle, or a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout, drizzle the batter in a circular, overlapping pattern into the hot oil — each cake takes roughly 1/2 cup of batter. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden on the bottom, then flip carefully with tongs and fry another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side.
- Drain and dust. Remove the funnel cake to a plate lined with paper towels and let it drain for one minute. Transfer to a serving plate and dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve immediately — funnel cake is best eaten hot.
- Repeat. Fry remaining batter in batches, checking the oil temperature between each one and adjusting the heat as needed to hold it near 375°F.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg