Now that National Donut Day is almost upon us, I thought I'd share my
review of John T. Edge's book about DONUTS from that website.
I'm sorry to report that on a very recent layover in the Houston airport, I spotted a Shipley's and bought 2 donuts. They did not live up to my childhood memories.
Don't you hate when that happens?
I am certain, however, that the Donut Sundaes I remember from "The Goose" would hold up to my modern-day dessert standards= Yeast donut, ice cream, hot fudge sauce.
I think I'll make one tomorrow to celebrate the day.
(You can also find this review on the website: http://usads.ms11.net/jedge.html)
DONUTS: AN AMERICAN PASSION by John T. Edge (G.P. Putnam,
2006)
If you’ve ever stood outside a Krispy Kreme waiting for the flashing red light or driven across two counties to pick up a dozen Shipleys, then this fourth addition to John T. Edge’s American food series is for you. He started with fried chicken, then added apple pie and hamburgers. What could be better than topping it off with a quick dozen donuts or two?
As he combs the country in search of donut history, Edge
shows us why he’s one of our best food writers. He ferrets out the corner mom
and pop operations and digs into the reasons they stay in business (or not). He
doesn’t just slosh through old newspapers yellowing in libraries or crisp
microfilmed magazine covers to research food history. His research includes
eating his way through sugar-coated donuts (or a slugburger or chicken fried in
almost anything).
But we’re glad this time he chose to shed a little light on
donuts. Otherwise we’d never know about the Salvation Army’s public relations coup
in the First World War. As their Lassies fried donuts in a helmet, or perhaps a
galvanized trash can, the mission was to help the troops feel more at home.
Their doughnuts (the spelling has only recently been shortened) were made from
excess rations and whatever the ladies had on hand, and after the War American soldiers
returned home hankering for more. According to Edge’s research, so many planned
to open donut shops that the military published a book on the subject.
My early donut memories include the superbly fat-ladened Donut
Sundae at the Old Goose at M.S.C.W. (glazed yeast donut, vanilla ice cream, hot
fudge sauce), selling boxes of Shipley donuts to benefit my Girl Scout troop,
and standing over boiling hot oil waiting for homemade donuts in my mother’s
kitchen. Perhaps. like Edge, Homer Price— that curious character from Robert
McCloskey’s book-- made you laugh
out loud in fifth grade with his donut machine gone awry. Whatever your
attachment to donuts, John T. Edge has you covered.
Don’t skip the chapter, or maybe even a trip, to Westport,
Massachusetts, where he tempts us with a cinnamon sugar-dusted cake donut, then
segueways into a chocolate-glazed yeast. But Edge is after the big prize here-
the proprietor’s famous “Long John.” As with other local donut shops, Butler’s Colonial Donut
House has a following that required a visit and a taste. “Rich…sprightly with
berries, swaddled in dairy,” the Long John is shaped like a hotdog bun turned
on its side and does not disappoint. John T. Edge’s description makes you want
to jump in the car and head for Massachusetts. Or in a pinch, the closest
Dunkin’ Donuts.
(Sorry about the picture, Mr. Edge. I'm sure you'd never use a DD photo, but you have to admit, it does add a spice of color...)
2 comments:
Darn, Augusta, you made me crave donuts. Nicola's was the place to buy the best donuts in Tampa. But the last time we tried them, we too were disappointed. They changed the recipe to avoid trans fat. Healthy is good, but who eats donuts to be healthy!
Seriously. Donuts are not meant to be healthy. Hope you're enjoying one today, Susan!
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