Donut Shrine

Flickr Donut Monday: donut roller

Dorie — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:45:00 +0000

Flickr has pictures of everything, even donuts. Here's a picture of a fancy donut roller courtesy of katbert. See how it rolls delicious donuts? I think it is interesting to note that the roller does not punch the hole out of the middle completely. Somebody has to do that part by hand. I think katbert took this picture at an Amish donut festival. Sounds good to me!

See also, Alvin B's water jug?

Take Your Donuts to Work Day: Part 1

Dorie — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:24:00 +0000

Oh happy day! Who doesn't like it when donuts show up at work? Everybody likes this. Even people who pretend that they don't like this, like this. And so, let me introduce to you the start on an ongoing series: Take Your Donuts to Work Day!

This series is off to a fabulous start because these donuts came from Ye Olde Donuts, as in Ye Olde Donuts the same shop as Ye Olde Hickory Pit BBQ, where I have been waiting to go for ages. The first thing I noticed about the shop was that it smelled NOTHING like BBQ and everything like donuts. How do they do this?! It was 7:45 AM when I went in. I wonder what it smells like at 10:30. Is there a transition aroma between the d-nuts and the BBQ?

The donuts themselves were pretty good. Their jelly donuts were the clear winners with both Patty and Lisa from work praising their deliciousness. I had an old fashioned that I was less than fond of--too dry for my tastes. I was all excited because I thought I had procured an eclair for Randal, but no. It was really a long john. I did not know what a long john was until this day. A long john is shaped like an eclair, but it has no filling. How sad.

Make Way For Donuts

Randal Bachin — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:26:00 +0000

In 1941, Robert McCloskey published, Make Way For Ducklings, a classic children's book that would go on to become a Caldecott Medal winner, as well as the inspiration for two statues. One in the Boston Public Garden where the story takes place, and the other, 4500 miles away in Moscow where it was presented as a gift to Russian First Lady Raisa Gorbachev, by then First Lady Barbara Bush.

While instantly recognizable and widely regarded as McCloskey’s finest work, it is lesser known that it was the success of this volume that allowed him to pursue his true passion in life, which was an unquenchable love of donuts.

The 40’s were a different time however, and McCloskey found it difficult to profess this perceived weakness openly. Instead he buried his fervency within the pages of his next book Homer Price.

Homer Price, is the story of a young boy with a mechanical mind and an uncanny knack for both, getting into trouble, and getting out of it. His Uncle Ulysses owns a diner that includes an automatic donut making machine. One day, the machine goes on the fritz, and since Homer has a way with such things, Ulysses asks him to have a look. Homer, of course, does a first rate job of fixing the machine, and soon it is cranking out piles of warm rings full of sugary goodness.

McCloskey wrote:
Rings of batter started dropping into the hot fat. After a ring of batter was cooked on one side, an automatic gadget turned it over and the other side would cook. Then another automatic gadget gave the doughnut a little push and it rolled neatly down a little chute, all ready to eat.

McCloskey couldn’t leave it at this however. One can only guess that his mania for all things rounded and ringed had built to a level that was beyond his control. Not only did he make the machine automatic, he made it unstoppable. And it goes on to fill the room with wonderful smelling, fresh from the fryer, almost-but-not-quite-handmade donuts.

Homer pushed the button marked Stop and there was a little click, but nothing happened. The rings of batter kept right on dropping into the hot fat, and an automatic gadget kept right on turning them over, and another automatic gadget kept right on giving them a little push, and the doughnuts kept right on rolling down the little chute, all ready to eat.

The bulk of McCloskey’s story goes on to investigate the various ways they can get rid of the donuts, by eating them, and enlisting others to help them eat them. (Which of course is awesome.) I have heard criticism of the story, both at the time I read it, and since, that goes something like this. “Why didn’t they just unplug it.” But I know the answer to the question, because I have uncovered McCloskey as the donut fanatic he was, and he, like me, would never have considered that option.
Why would anyone want to do that?

Donut Anticipation

Dorie — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 03:36:00 +0000

I have been wondering about this place for years. It always looks kinda closed. There are two signs on the building: the one in the photo above, and the one below. The donut sign looks older, so I thought that that must be the old business, but they just never took down the sign when the owner opened the new business. You know, like the sign was still up as some kind of historic marker. Because really, how could one small shop be both of these things?

Oh how it could. It really is both Ye Old Donut Shoppe and Ye Old Hickory Pit Barbecue. Someday very soon I will walk in there (in the morning, which is donut time) and sample their wares.

Donut Shrine

Dorie — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:41:00 +0000

I pretty much feel that the name says it all, but just in case you are not so sure, let me explain. Donut Shrine is a place for celebrating all things donut. I love donuts in every way, and I am fortunate to know a couple other people who share my appreciation of donuts. They will be writing here too.

There will be donut tastings and donut reviews, but there will be more than that too. Part of the beauty of donuts is that they are a simple and homey food, tied to warm memories and good stories. Donut Shrine is not just about the donut itself, but the donut experience.

Welcome to Donut Shrine

Dorie — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:50:00 +0000

Where we worship donuts.