Putting the Doh! in Doughnuts
The current designer doughnut craze is enough to bring Homer Simpson to his knees. Over the past year or two, serious doughnut-eries have opened their doors in major cities around the country, and they differ from the usual suspects in several important ways. First, many operate on the theory of planned scarcity. When they run out of what they’ve baked that morning, they simply close their doors—a tactic that builds both buzz and crowds. Second, they often boast serious culinary fire power, like chef Michael Solomonov at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia or chef Brendan Sodikoff at The Doughnut Vault in Chicago. And third, they feature killer varieties, the stuff that doughnut dreams are made of. Consider:
- At Doughnut Plant in New York City, doughnut maestro Mark Israel serves up Tres Leches and Carrot Cake varieties.
- Donut Savant in Oakland, CA, creates Thai Dust, with toasted coconut, fresh ginger, kefir lime and roasted chilies, a nifty nod to the current sweet-heat trend.
- Federal Donuts makes only 150 or so doughnuts on weekdays and features fancies like Strawberry-Lavender or Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter.
- Do-Rite Donuts in Chicago offers Candied Maple-Bacon and Pistachio-Meyer Lemon Doughnuts in a tiny space adjacent to popular Petterino’s restaurant.
- Glazed and Infused, with multiple locations around Chicago, jumps in with a Crème Brulee Bismark.
- In Columbus, OH, Till goes savory with an appetizer of Chicken & Doughnuts.
And somewhere in Springfield, Homer Simpson is salivating.
Photo: eskimo_jo /Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license
Global marketing & communications, culinary connector, moving food & beverage ideas to market, focused on coffee and tea
11 年Several years ago, I asked a colleague in the corporate office of Dunkin' Donuts to please make a gluten-free donut. Until that happens, I'll be eating Glutino's gluten-free cake donuts, which are pretty good.
“Without changing our patterns of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems that we created with our current patterns of thought.” ~Albert Einstein
11 年Amazes me that no matter what food is written about some people just feel the need to complain. There's no harm in treating yourself to a doughnut every once in a while.
Global Strategic Planning & Development | Culinary Expert | International Marketing | Digital Innovation
11 年Working on a new bakery concept...I've got the flavor profiles and need your suggestions on the "format". After donuts, cupcakes, muffins, cookies and ice cream, what would YOU buy in different flavor combinations?
President/CEO Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc.
11 年Is It Doughnut Day? I think people love doughnuts because there are some may wonderful flavors from which to choose. There’s warm glazed doughnuts—the flavor that made Krispy Kreme famous—frosted vanilla, cherry, strawberry, maple and even flavors with sprinkles and decoratifs. You can buy a cruller, a cinnamon twist or even an apple fritter that is made with leftover scraps and pieces layered with canned apple pie filling. And, then there’s iced chocolate doughnuts. Now you can enjoy a chocolatier’s dozen (15 yummy chocolate dounut shaped truffles) of Designer Donuts from Choclatique: Almond Coconut Flake: You will jump for joy with this creamy almond butter and coconut filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate. Carrot-Cream Cheese: A tasty blend of carrot cake ganache and sour cream-cheese cake filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate. Chocolate Caramel: Our creamy, award-winning chocolate caramel filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate with a milk chocolate glaze. Chocolate Peanut Butter: A peanut butter and burnt caramel filled donut in our Prestige Milk Chocolate, topped with chopped American-grown peanuts. Chocolate Sprinkles: A rich, deep dark chocolate cream filled donut in Prestige Milk Chocolate, glazed with white chocolate and topped with dark chocolate sprinkles of course. Cinnamon Spice: A cinnamon spiced cake and white chocolate cream ganache filled donut covered with Snowy White Chocolate with a dusting of Saigon cinnamon. Dark Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake: A dark chocolate cake ganache filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar. Fluff-a-Nutter: A banana mash cream ganache, vanilla marshmallow fluff and graham cracker filled donut in covered with our Prestige Milk Chocolate. Jelly Donut: A donut shop delight! A strawberry filled donut in Prestige Milk Chocolate sprinkled with sugar. Johnny Appleseed’s Apple: A luscious buttery caramel and spiced apple filled donut in Prestige Milk Chocolate. Marshmallow Mint Chip: Marshmallow, mint-mini-chocolate chip ganache filled donut enrobed in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate. Mocha Kreme: Coffee cream ganache and white cake ganache filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate dipped in white nonpareils. Vanilla Kreme: A creamy angel food, white chocolate ganache filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate dipped in a rainbow of colored nonpareils. Vermont Maple Crunch: A maple cake chocolate ganache and homemade toffee pieces filled donut in our Snowy White Chocolate topped with toffee bits. Wicked Red Cherry: A creamy ganache studded with North-Western-grown cherries, and marshmallow fluff filled donut in our Private Reserve Dark Chocolate.
This is not an appropriate post for January when we're all trying to eat healthier, eg, kinda trying. Donuts are my favorite food, next to French fries. Thanks for the afternoon drool opportunity.