By Teresa Brummett, Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — What is a funnel cake but a little batter dropped into a tub of hot grease. Then it’s sprinkled with powdered sugar. Well that’s the basic toppings, but owner Dan Herbst of Herbkoe Fun Foods isn’t basic when it comes to his funnel cakes.
Although he’s happy to fix you a funnel cake with just powdered sugar, he brought two more popular flavors with him: Chocolate and caramel toppings.
Herbst who began his business 17 years ago in 1998 said that he started with just shaved ice. He then expanded after that adding caramel apples and waffles on a stick to his menu. Herbst who runs his business from northwest Indiana seems to enjoy his job.
He worked more than two hours on Tuesday, March 31, making funnel cakes with a smile on his face the entire time. The equipment he has Herbst was able to make three funnel cakes at once which averaged out to about 90 by the time he ran out of batter about 1:15 p.m. He would have happily stayed to finish out his time, had he not run out.
Herbst mentioned that he’s worked with Lincoln Land for four years on several other events and homecoming had been one of them.
Snyder only asked for powdered sugar on his funnel cake he doesn’t like all that other stuff. But when I asked about the process in making and how long he waited if he would wait that long again he quoted saying, “it was really cool watching the funnel cakes being made. I’ve never seen that done before. I did wait around 15 minutes but that’s because the line was so long. It was well worth it. I loved it”
I heard a few comments of passing students saying, they were yummy, really gooey, a perfect size, warm, soft, so good and crunchy.
One teacher walked by smiling and jokingly saying, “This had better be worth the wait” course with a smile on her face she seemed very anxious to dig into her own funnel cake.
Hearing all these great comments I too had to get into line and wait like everyone else. I asked for all three toppings and wasn’t disappointed. Thinking it may be overkill on sugar, but it wasn’t. It was very well proportion and was perfect in my book.
Lincoln Land did a great job hiring Herbkoe Fun Foods for the funnel cake day. It was a huge success. Hearing comments how the students would love to see him back for waffle on a stick day would just an added bonus.
“They (the funnel cakes) tasted amazing,” said LLCC student Nick Snyder. “Since my friend wasn’t feeling well, she gave me hers. If I could go back for a third one, I would.”
Teresa Brummett can be reached at (217) 786-2311 or [email protected].
