Crazy & Co.

12 Doughnuts From Around The World

2 February 2021

Doughnuts, or donuts as some would insist upon. The classic sugar covered doughy goodness beloved by all. Well, some people don’t like them, but they are usually recaptured pretty quickly.

Anyway, we all know what they are, but do the rest of the world share the same tastes. We look at some of the wonderful and weird examples available around the globe.

Bomboloni

A traditional Italian recipe, the Bomboloni is made from a type of pastry called bomba (bomb). It could be due to the resemblance to an old fashioned bomb, or possibly a reference to the high calorie density i.e. a calorie bomb.

They are a filled doughnut with chocolate, custard and jam amongst others.

Berliner

A Berliner Pfannkuchen is a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut made from sweet yeast dough made with eggs, milk and butter then fried in fat or oil with a marmalade or jam filling and icing or powdered sugar topping. Sometimes they are made with champagne, mocha, advocaat or chocolate.

They are traditionally a new years eve treat though they can be purchased throughout the year. A common practical joke is to fill them with mustard and serve them together with regular Berliners.

Jelebi

A Middle Eastern/Indian/North African snack made from deep fried maida flour then soaked in sugar syrup. They are somewhat chewy with a crystallised sugar coating. Traditionally served with curd or rabri.

They were traditionally given to the poor during Ramadan and there are cookbooks dating back to the 10th century with recipes for them. Also eaten in the Indian subcontinent were they are served with condensed milk or vegetable curry.

Churros

A traditional snack in Spain and Portugal. They are served with hot chocolate, and can be plain or filled with chocolate, jam, custard etc.

Their origins are unclear, with one theory being they were brought from China by Portuguese explorers. Another being they were invented by Spanish shepherds being easy to fry over open fires in the mountains.

Sufganiyot

An Israeli treat, nowadays very similar to the Berliner, though cooked in schmaltz due to kashrut laws. Traditionally they were made from two rings of dough surrounding a jelly filling then fried in one piece. Although this method is still used, they are more often made like the Berliner, a ball of dough with the filling injected.

They can also be stuffed with chocolate, truffle, dulce de leche and topped with a variety from coconut shavings to liquors and fruit pastes.

Youtiao Doughnuts

Looking more like Churros than traditional doughnuts, the Chinese Youtiao is a golden brown, deep fried strip of dough. Common in China and other South East Asian cuisines. Traditionally lightly salted and made to be torn in two, they are a breakfast treat, and accompany rice congee, soy milk or milk blended with sugar.

Legend has it that they are a protest against the Song Dynasty official Qin Hui who allegedly plotted to frame the general Yue Fei, an iconic patriot in China. The treat represents Qin Hui and his wife collaborating to bring about the generals downfall. They were supposedly first made in the shape of two humans before evolving into their current form.

Beignets

Common in France, and French influenced areas such as New Orleans they date back to the time of Ancient Rome. Though the practice of deep frying dough goes back to at least the 5th Century BC.

They can be made with choux pastry or yeast pastry, and are commonly served at breakfast with powdered sugar and served hot and fresh.

An Doughnut

A Japanese doughnut, made from deep fried dough filled with red bean paste. This dates from around 1983 so is a relative baby in the doughnut world.

Oliebol

One of our favourite doughnuts hailing from that super laid back super friendly country of Holland. They are like a dumpling, made with an ice cream scoop of dough, dropped into a deep fryer with hot oil. This provides a spherical shaped doughnut popular at funfairs and traditionally eaten on New Years Eve.

They can be injected with a variety of jams, custard chocolate etc, and are usually topped with sugar.

Sel Roti Doughnuts

Hailing from the mountain kingdom of Nepal. The sel roti is a traditional home made ring shaped treat made from rice flour. Unique to Nepal, they are made mainly for the Nepali celebrations of the Tihar and Dashain festivals.

Balushahi

Made from a mix of flour, ghee and baking soda, these are fried in ghee or oil then dunked in a thick sugar syrup. Sweet but flaky they are a staple in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Kamataka.

Koeksister Doughnuts

A traditional Afrikaner fried dough infused with honey or syrup. Made from plated dough strips that are deep fried in oil then submerged into ice cold sugar syrup. They have a liquid syrup centre and a golden crunchy crust. Very sticky and sweet. They were traditionally baked to raise funds for the building of schools and churches.

There are literally dozens of variations of doughnuts around the world, all delicious.

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Fun Story

Tommy Trotter, Happy 100th Birthday

27 January 2021

There are lots of charities out there. Hundreds if not thousands. Everyone likes to support a good cause, but it is impossible to help them all. We have always tried to do what we can for a local children’s hospice. Indeed it has become a tradition that we don’t undertake paid events on Christmas eve, instead we attend their Christmas party giving away free candy floss and popcorn. Obviously that didn’t happen this year due to the infernal pandemic.

Remembrance Day

On the approach to V.E. day, we happened upon a news article about the Royal British Legion Industries. Now like most people we buy poppies on the run up to remembrance day, and in truth that is about the only time most will think of veterans charities. Reading the article it became apparent just how much they actually do for veterans.

Their latest post was a very poignant one. It turns out that a WWII veteran, a certain Tommy Trotter is celebrating his 100th birthday on 10th February. They have designed a downloadable birthday card for people to print out, and are asking people if they would send him a card for his birthday, as due to the lockdown he can’t have a celebration.

It’s inconceivable what they went through. At 19 I was worrying about upgrading my car, getting to my next social event, and who I fancied dating. This guy was storming the beaches of Normandy under heavy fire from nutcase Germans determined to kill him.

If you want to send Tommy a card, the link to download them is available here. Of course you can send a card of your own design, it doesn’t have to be this one.

Our team has just sent a card, and stuck him some money in to treat himself to his favourite tipple of John Smiths bitter.

The address for the cards is;

Tommy Trotter
The Last Post
Cranworth Street
Thornaby
TS17 7DR

Raising Money For The Veterans

They also sell a nice range of commemorative products with the funds raised going to veterans charities.

V.E. Tommy

One of the products on their website is a small 25cm high range of acrylic figures. These are shaped in the classic outline of a World War I Infantryman. The so called ‘Tommy Atkins’. The equivalent of our American cousins doughboy.

Christmas Football Tommy

These are designed so that stood in a window they are barely visible, sort of there, but not there. For the £33 they cost, these are a great way to show your appreciation for what our armed forces have gone through. They also sell larger steel versions to be placed in a garden or park.

A Christmas edition was produced to commemorate the famous Christmas day truce and football match between the British and Germans.

Remembrance Day Pins

We also decided to treat all of our staff to lapel pins for remembrance day, though for obvious reasons the usual ceremonies didn’t go ahead and they haven’t had chance to wear them yet.

If you can spare any help for the Royal British Legion Industries it is definitely a charity worth supporting. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for their service.

Tommy, Rudyard Kipling

I went into a public-‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:

O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-‘alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!

For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.

Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;

While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.

For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot;
An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool – you bet that Tommy sees!

Sources;

Royal British Legion Industries

The Kipling Society

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Event Planning, Fun Story, Funfair Rides

The 14 Best Ferris Wheels, The Iconic Funfair Ride

23 January 2021

Few of the funfair rides you see today are as iconic as Ferris Wheels, or Big Wheels as they are also known.

Taking its name from the wheel built for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893 by George Washington Gale Ferris. Though William Somers installed three fifty foot wooden wheels in 1892 so perhaps they should be called Somers Wheels.

Then again Pietro Della Valle, a Roman traveller wrote of riding a Great Wheel in Constantinople in 1615, so should they be Constantinople wheels or Della Valle Wheels?

Whoever deserves the naming rights, it was George that actually ended up adding his name to one the enduring legacies of the funfair industry.

Lets take a look at some of the weird and wonderful wheels around the world.

The Original Ferris Wheel

The original ‘Ferris’ wheel pictured here was 80.4 metres high, 264ft if you are sticking to olde measures, not sure how many cubits that is if you are even older than Imperial measurements. It was intended to rival the Eiffel Tower which had formed the centre piece of the Paris Exposition. The axle weighing 71 tonne was the world’s largest forging at that time, and the ride had a carrying capacity of 2160 people, unrivalled today Indeed the world’s biggest wheel the Vegas High Roller managing a little over half that.

The Vegas High Roller

Currently the world’s highest wheel is the Vegas High Roller. At 550ft (158.5 metres, 366.67 cubits) high, this beats the Singapore Flyer by a scant 9ft. Rotating on two custom designed spherical bearings each weighing just under 9 tonnes. The passenger cabins are electrically rotated to maintain a smooth level ride and each weighs 20 tonnes. A wheel currently being built in Dubai should claim the crown as world’s tallest wheel if it ever opens, currently construction is 5 years behind schedule.

The Vienna Riesenrad

Located inside the Vienna Prater (the world’s oldest amusement park), the Riesenrad was constructed in 1897. This has unique old fashioned cabins, one of which can be hired complete with dining and a champagne meal.

It was designed by Harry Hitchins and Hubert Cecil Booth, a pair of British engineers, and constructed by Lieutenant Walter Bassett Bassett an English engineer. to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I. At 212ft high it is nowhere near the ‘big’ wheels out there, but it adds a touch of class all its own.

The Tianjin Eye Observation Wheel

Also called the Tientsin Eye, this is a mid height wheel at 394ft, what makes it unusual, is that it is the only major wheel actually built on a bridge, in this case the Yongle Bridge, over the Hai River in Tianjin China.

The Osaka Wheel

This is an oddball in the wheel world. Rather than being round it is an oval shape. The main structure doesn’t move rather the cars move around a track.

The Big O

Situated in the Tokyo Dome City, Japan. This is not only the world’s largest centreless wheel at 200ft high (it has an actual roller coaster built through the middle), it also has a number of cars with karaoke machines fitted. We are not actually convinced that being stuck on a ride for 30 minutes with someone singing badly is a great move.

Baseball Ferris Wheels

Not particularly large, but certainly novel. Built in Comerica park, downtown Detroit. The location of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball Team.

The Waggon Wheel

No, not a biscuit, though legend has it that the biscuit was a similar size before inflation kicked in. This is located in Flamingo Land Amusement park here in the UK. Themed around the iconic plains wagons of old America. YeeeHaaa

The Golden Reel Figure 8

Located in Macau, this is one of the highest wheels in the world. Not due solely to its size, but to the fact that it is actually built to join two hotels together. You board on the 23rd floor, and what makes it even more unique is that fact that it is a figure 8 wheel, having 2 loops does that make it Ferris Wheels?

Royal Tyres Wheel

The Uniroyal giant tyre wheel created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Now located in Michigan this 80ft high wheel was designed by the same firm responsible for the Empire State Building, Shreve, Lamb & Harmon. Driven by a 100hp engine the wheel carries 96 passengers.

John Kormeling Wheel

Created by the artist John Kormeling, this is one wacky wheel. Instead of gondolas for the passengers, it has flat structures that you actually park you car on, yes, you don’t even have to leave your car to ride this wheel.

The Priyat Big Wheel

This wheel isn’t particularly tall, or have any unusual features. Oh, except for being quite close to a major nuclear disaster. The wheel is virtually brand new having hardly been used before Chernobyl went tits up. It isn’t one we would recommend visiting, although there are actually companies now running tours to the area around Chernobyl.

Eccentric Wheel

These are an uncommon version of the wheel. Instead of the cars being suspended on axles at the ends of the arms, they travel on a track that zig zags inside the main structure, so they slide towards the centre of the wheel then away from it. There was one built in 1920 at Coney Island, and another at one of the Disney parks.

Underground Ferris Wheels

A mere 65ft high and only 6 cars would make this a pretty poor example for Ferris Wheels. Until you consider it is actually underground inside a giant salt mine. Located in Turda, Romania, the mine dates back to the 13th century and is 368ft beneath below ground. I guess that technically makes this the world’s lowest wheel!

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Catering, Event Planning, Fun Story

Street Food Carts For Your Event

20 January 2021

We have had the same range of carts for quite a period now for everything from street food carts to weddings. Heck, we average over 500 events a year, so obviously they are popular. Why change when it works?

Thing is during the lockdown, we have had that rare luxury, time. We began looking at many of our competitors, and realised that they are doing things we are not. What is more galling is the knowledge that at one time, we would have been doing them first.

Because of this we have designed and produced a range of removable panels that totally alter the styling of many of our ranges of carts and bar sections.

No1 daughter has also been pestering for us to add a more quirky street food type of catering unit.

To this end we eventually did just that, it was for a series of outdoor events, where we were serving 450 jacket potatoes a day, and we felt that the extra room this design allowed us would make it easier to operate.

Basic Street Food Option

Our first design is a bare bones, patterned plywood unit, meant to look slightly third worldy for a quirky feel.

It was used successfully for a number of the aforementioned jacket potato jobs, as well as doughnuts and hot dogs.

Sticking with the theme, the menu boards and clip art was all held on with mini cloths pegs, and the top sign stencilled with our favourite Sex Pistols font.

Red Ribbed Stall

Our next version was made using deep red corrugated panels, this gave a more industrial feel and was used for a number of Hot Chocolate/Hot Dog days at local schools.

Either unit can be used for any of our range of catering options. Indeed it is plenty roomy to add two or three offerings in the same stall.

Over the coming year we intend adding a number of additional options to our street food carts. So keep checking back. Or keep checking our website for more details of street food units.

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Fun Story

FC Fabbri Group, A Manufacturer Profile

9 January 2021

We get asked quite often where funfair rides come from. Everyone seems to think they are homemade, and to be truthful, there are a lot of children’s rides on the circuit that have been. In fact some of the most successful ride manufacturers started life this way.

For the bigger stuff though, this is beyond their scope. Thrill rides are becoming higher, faster, more daring. The engineering required for this is beyond the DIY market.

Over time a number of high tech, highly regarded companies have developed to design and build these types of rides. Sadly little of this industry remains UK based. The major players being Italian, Dutch, German and Spanish.

Over the course of the year we are going to take a look at the major players, and some of the now defunct former giants of the industry.

An Italian Entrant

The first of our spotlights falls upon FC Fabbri Group. Founded by Romolo Fabbri in Bergantino, an Italian village in 1950. The village actually became the home of a number of Italian ride producers after World War II.

The initial ride was the Avio, an aviation based ride that allowed the riders to fly their little aeroplanes up, as they rotated around the ride.

This eventually evolved into the popular Telecombat. An aerial ride that allowed the planes to rotate and face backwards towards the following car. You could then fire your guns and ‘shoot’ the opponent down. Not literally of course, what happened was the ride controls would drop his plane back down to ground level.

A New Direction

As the 1970’s rolled around, Romolo’s son, Licinio took over, and expanded sales beyond their traditional home market and into the rest of Europe and the Middle East. By this time they were producing a number of rides, including the Tagada, Kamikaze and crazy Dance to complement their Telecombats.

This expansion continued, and in the 90’s they founded FC Fabbri Park Srl, to spread the company into the world market.

Roller Coasters

By 1998 they had launched their first roller coaster. The Wacky Worm type ride

As of 2019, the group has built 24 roller coasters around the world ranging from the original Wacky Worm type through to the newer Spinning Mouse coasters.

Thrill Rides

Of late the company has found success with pendulum type thrill rides such as the booster, selling over 50 of these since 2000. This is loosely based on an old type of ride called the dive bomber, only much higher and faster. Other companies produce similar rides such as the KMG Speed and Zamperla Turbo Force.

FC Fabbri Group Giant Wheel Division

In 2002, the giant wheel division was founded with the manufacture of their first wheel over 40 metres in height.

They now possess the capability to produce wheels upto 100M in diameter, and pro actively seek out sites suitable for erecting wheels. Their engineering prowess make them the only European company to have installed a giant wheel on top of a large building.

The Fabbri Group have the design and production capabilities to undertake unique and one off commissions taking their funfair rides in a totally new direction. These include an aerial restaurant and a monorail system.

From the humble beginnings of the Fabbri Group with the Avio, the company now encompasses a complete range of attractions from Children’s rides through to the largest of travelling giant wheels. It sells its products throughout the globe and is definitely an Italian success story.

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