I dont usually eat doughnuts, but when I do I eat....???
Sounds like a beer commercial, doesnt it?
In my town, there is no Krispy Kreme. We had one for a short while, but it shut down. I suppose that I was not a regular enough customer. Last fall, I was on 'development leave' in Florida and when I would leave Research Town to visit my parents, I would occasionally stop at KK for a 'care package'. If my brother's family was also visiting, I would bring several boxes. When they are hot and fresh, they are wonderful! (not that they are 'healthy' or 'good for me', but as I ate them, I suppose that they were 'on my diet'. I sure like the 'regular' ones. They have Chocolate Frosted on the First Friday of the month. I have tried them once, but I didnt particularly think that they were better than the normal days output.
We have Duncan Doughnuts around and about, but somehow, I just dont like all of the powdered sugar that gets all over everything. There, I like lemon filled and the vanilla filled. However, somehow I get the feeling that they are not always freshly made, at least at the store. There was a commercial (ages ago) where the baker would say, "Time to make the doughnuts". I just dont get the feeling that the stores I have visited last were stocked with doughnuts made just hours ago.
Anyway, I am thinking about doughnuts today and IF I were to act on those thoughts, it would be to visit a Krispy Kreme .
Where would you go, now that I have planted the seed of a doughnut thought in your head? What would you order?
Almost always a local shop. We actually have a place in town that was an "original" Krispy Kreme, back in the 50s, and then split. And their donuts are fantastic.
If the choice is between Krispy Kreme and Dunkin...I go KK every time. They are just better. That said, when I travel I always try to find the best local place.
I remember the "got to make the donuts" commercial too. Dunkin was just in the news regarding a corporate policy to sue franchisees if they hire illegal/undocumented workers. Supposedly all franchise owners are supposed to use e-Verify, ensure I-9 compliance, etc.
Anyway, a handful of boutique "gourmet" doughnut shops have opened in this area in the last few years. My tastes are basic, like chocolate glazed. I don't want rum custard hazelnut filling with bacon bit and organic free range date sprinkles. When I first moved here, a local shop beat out Dunkin and Tim Horton's (which has since pulled up stakes) for chocolate glazed -- not as sugary sweet, could actually taste some chocolate.
When I lived in North Carolina the Krispy Kreme donuts were supposedly made with lard.
When they went national they switched to vegetable shortening and were never quite as good as I remembered.
This was resolved in my area (where DD started) about a decade ago. KK came barreling in, sure they'd win out.
A couple years later they "folded their tents...and as silently steeled away..."
Maybe it's regional.
M.
I worked for Winchell's Donuts in high school, and got to be a baker at the end of my time there.
When then engineering firm where I was employed during college ran out of work and furloughed me for a couple of months, I went to the nearest Winchell's and showed them I could bake. They hired me on the spot. I did that until the work picked up again at the firm. Since then I've fancied donut baking as a back pocket skill I could use in case everything else dried up ("Well, gotta make rent. Time to get back in the game." <pulls down leather case holding antique finished spalted maple rolling pin with ivory handles> "Hello, Sweetness. Miss me? Let's get to work!")
I live in a Shipley's town, but my favorite doughnuts are from a local place that also sells kolaches. They have the best old-fashioned doughnuts I've had in a long time. They even have maple frosted old fashioned donuts. Had you gone back in time and told my younger donut baking self that the future would hold maple frosted old fashioned, I would have burned you for witchcraft - probably using the donut fryer.
Ooh, Winchell's. Yummm.
Now are we discussing baked (cake) donuts or fried donuts? Because they are two very different things. Best donuts I've ever had are from my home town, local bakery. Pilgrim Kitchen has been there since at least the 30s. The equipment likely is that old, and the recipes certainly are. They know what a real old-fashioned donut is, which neither KK nor DD know how to do.
I'm partial to craft donuts. Little places are still springing up all over. My favorite in NYC is still Dough, which has several stores and gets sold in other places too -- I found them for sale at a place in Chinatown once.
Sometimes I go for a more traditional and cheaper donut from long-established shops. I will occasionally make a pilgrimage to Peter Pan Donuts.
I have to say that those ring shaped products sold by Duncan ... well, nope. Not for me.
Timbits. I bought a box of Timbits to bring to my coworkers who live here with me in KK country. I had two different people at the airport offer me money for the Timbits.
Krispy Kreme for hot glazed and lemon filled.
Dunkin for Bavarian Cream and donut holes.
Shipleys for cinnamon sugar, cake, and a mixed dozen for a meeting.
Local Mexican bakery's Tuesday afternoon donut.
The Mexican bakery in town does donuts on Tuesday afternoons, whatever flavor the baker feels like making. This week was mango glazed. He makes 5-6 dozen, sold from 2 pm until he runs out. Limit two donuts per person. One dollar each, quarters or dollar bills only. He's usually sold out by 2:30.
Tim Horton's. Duh.
I'm a cake donut fan, from local shops mostly on the rare occasions I allow myself one, so no KK for me. They folded in my area as well, anyway.
People really do know it's Dunkin', yes?
Not the Scots name, the former first half of Dunkin' Donuts...
I don't follow why they decided to change it...it's like IHOP and burgers...hunh?
M.
Most of the time, I've live in small enough towns that we have no donuts. Technically, we have a bakery here, but one cannot buy donuts past about 7 AM. The chain grocery store is surprisingly lacking in good donuts at any time, but we can buy Hostess prepackaged.
I remember hearing about Honeydew Donuts while I was in college north of Boston. It's a New England regional chain.
We've got quite a few Dunkin' stores here in the metro DC area. I like getting hot chocolate and coffee there during the fall and winter months; it's iced coffee in the spring and summer.
I love me a good cake donut, which DD fails at (I want KK if it is going to be the other type). My biggest problem with a lot of the newer donut shops is that they try and make it about toppings, when donuts should all be able the donut itself, with a simple glaze or powder on it at most. Voodoo donuts is the most overrated donut there is.
Just came here to see if anybody showed love to Tim Horton's, and sure enough, two of you! There used to be quite a few more Canadians hereabouts.
My own tiny little town, about 3000 people, has a nice little donut shop that also makes some nice breakfast sandwiches (like McDonald's, but less... chain-foody, if you see what I mean). Their donuts are pretty good, and quite reasonable. It's owned by a nice Asian couple.
Quote from: Conjugate on July 15, 2019, 03:58:43 PM
Just came here to see if anybody showed love to Tim Horton's, and sure enough, two of you! There used to be quite a few more Canadians hereabouts.
I've met so many ardent Tim Horton's fans that I'm tempted to plan a Canadian vacation just to try them.
Quote from: Vkw10 on July 15, 2019, 04:33:41 PM
Quote from: Conjugate on July 15, 2019, 03:58:43 PM
Just came here to see if anybody showed love to Tim Horton's, and sure enough, two of you! There used to be quite a few more Canadians hereabouts.
I've met so many ardent Tim Horton's fans that I'm tempted to plan a Canadian vacation just to try them.
I believe there are a few in the US; Michigan, I think, and a few other border states. But if you're going that way, you might as well go enjoy Banff or other nice scenic parts of CA.
Quote from: Conjugate on July 15, 2019, 06:02:35 PM
Quote from: Vkw10 on July 15, 2019, 04:33:41 PM
Quote from: Conjugate on July 15, 2019, 03:58:43 PM
Just came here to see if anybody showed love to Tim Horton's, and sure enough, two of you! There used to be quite a few more Canadians hereabouts.
I've met so many ardent Tim Horton's fans that I'm tempted to plan a Canadian vacation just to try them.
I believe there are a few in the US; Michigan, I think, and a few other border states. But if you're going that way, you might as well go enjoy Banff or other nice scenic parts of CA.
I believe North Dakota has some TH, as does possibly Minnesota. Michigan does for sure.
Upstate NY has some Tim's also - in fact they serve a few rest areas on the Thruway.
I think Tim Horton's is just a better version of Dunkin' (better donuts, better coffee, better non-donut food). That's not saying much, but it's enough to make them my default cheap fast food when in Canada.
Mr. Donut is my favorite and they no longer exist. Krispy Kreme are grease puddles. I prefer Duncan Donuts, but we're all different.
Dunkin'
The idea was that the original cake donuts were so substantial you could dunk them in your coffee and they wouldn't fall apart.
Or at least, that's the word on the street (or in the police car).
Speaking of which, they have appeared in at least one MIT hack:
http://hacks.mit.edu/Hacks/by_year/1994/cp_car/
The car was reconstructed, along with several other hacks, in the new student center building (which some would claim is itself a hack; I prefer to think of it as the result of a marriage between Gaudi and Hundertwasser)
The fountain with the fire hydrant is near the door to the refectory, if anyone's looking.
M.
Anyone else (probably in NE/East Coast) remember The Whole Donut? They were competition for Dunkin' in the 80s/90s until they went under.
The quality of Dunkin' went down when they stopped making their donuts in shop. They're now all delivered to stores.
In grad school, I lived near a Quality Dairy factory bakery. The days they made donuts made it really hard not to want to drive somewhere to get one.
Quote from: archaeo42 on July 16, 2019, 08:17:16 AM
The quality of Dunkin' went down when they stopped making their donuts in shop. They're now all delivered to stores.
Lo these many moons ago I spent a summer as a "night finisher", frosting and filling donuts at Dunkin. At the time I think they were by far the best franchise donut shop around, but I agree that since the advent of off site production (and removal of trans fats) their quality has declined sharply.
I strongly prefer cake donuts, and think most places make them too soft and spongy. Of the chains, Tim Horton's is fine and Krispy Kreme is too sweet.
Quote from: Bbmaj7b5 on July 12, 2019, 12:00:26 PM
I worked for Winchell's Donuts in high school, and got to be a baker at the end of my time there.
When then engineering firm where I was employed during college ran out of work and furloughed me for a couple of months, I went to the nearest Winchell's and showed them I could bake. They hired me on the spot. I did that until the work picked up again at the firm. Since then I've fancied donut baking as a back pocket skill I could use in case everything else dried up ("Well, gotta make rent. Time to get back in the game." <pulls down leather case holding antique finished spalted maple rolling pin with ivory handles> "Hello, Sweetness. Miss me? Let's get to work!")
I live in a Shipley's town, but my favorite doughnuts are from a local place that also sells kolaches. They have the best old-fashioned doughnuts I've had in a long time. They even have maple frosted old fashioned donuts. Had you gone back in time and told my younger donut baking self that the future would hold maple frosted old fashioned, I would have burned you for witchcraft - probably using the donut fryer.
I'm so glad someone mentioned Winchell's. Krispy Kreme is just too over the top sugary-tasting. I'll make exception for the fresh hot glazed at KK, because when made right, they melt in your mouth. Duncan Doughnuts is the go-to place, where I know I will not be disappointed, but if I see a Winchell's, I'll go there.
Tim's for north of the border for sure (coffee and their donuts).
Here in Pokémon town we have neither KK nor Duncan, but do have a totally awesome local shop. Which makes me wish for a nice Bismark...
It's "Dunkin'" people, not "Duncan"!
<breathes....calms down, walks 2 blocks to the nearby DD with wifi, has tea and a croissant and gets 2 glazed doughnuts to take home.>
OK, just FYI....
M.
trying something...
Please correct the spelling mistake in the thread's title. It's an affront to doughnut eaters.
I agree about the voodoo donuts -- time for that fad to die.
Yes, I'd be afraid that "Duncan" donuts would be murdered by Macbeth donuts!
Also, we can correct the title by hand.
We can but it will only correct it for that post unfortunately.
Yes, it's kind of sad. Still, if you're determined, let nothing stand in your way!
Let's see if the box-drawing characters look the way they should....
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│ Let Nothing Stand In Your Way! │
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Quote from: Conjugate on July 17, 2019, 04:32:44 PM
Yes, I'd be afraid that "Duncan" donuts would be murdered by Macbeth donuts!
Also, we can correct the title by hand.
OK, guilty of a moste fowle misspelling of
Dinkin Dunkin' Donuts, hopefully this does not haunt me. But, can't seem to wash off that sticky glaze- hands just won't get clean...
May I be given dispensation because there is only one of these shops in my entire state? There can be only one! (another Duncan reference)
If you haven't tried cronuts, I highly recommend them.
I had hoped changing Duncan to Dunkin' on the original post would change the rest, but alas! So my edit is a non-edit on the first post.
Dunkin' Donuts was pretty ubiquitous in western MA where I grew up as a kid. I pretty much avoid all doughnuts now... watching my ridiculously high cholesterol, blah.
Oh, I'm proud to say I got the Duncan reference after just watching a production of MacBeth :)