By Carole (craftnut)
It’s National Doughnut Day! Whether you spell it doughnuts or donuts, they are the perfect little treat with a steaming cup of coffee. The doughnut comes in so many 
varieties there is something for everyone. There are wonderful plain glazed yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, crème filled, chocolate glazed, nut sprinkled, fruit filled, and so many more to choose!! At a local doughnut shop, one could have a different one every day for more than a month. Whether you are a fan of one of the bigger chains, or a local artisan doughnut maker, today is the day to have one, or a dozen.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was founded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1937. When I was growing up, my father could not pass a Krispy Kreme if the ‘HOT’ light was on, meaning the doughnuts were coming off the line fresh. There was just nothing else like standing in the store, watching the donuts making their way down the line with that fresh yeasty aroma in the air. Clear glass panels make it possible to watch the entire process. The doughnuts start at one end with a series of warmers to allow them to rise and then they are dumped into a running river of oil for frying which keeps them moving onward. An automated bar flips them over, and then they are picked up to drain on a moving conveyor. Lastly, the conveyor takes them through a waterfall of glaze. Yum!! If you have never had a ‘hot’ Krispy Kreme, you have to add it to your bucket list. Come to NC on your vacation and see what I mean.
Much later into the market, Dunkin’ Donuts was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950. Offering a greater variety of donut flavor choices, they quickly gained a following. I still like the chocolate crème filled donuts with powdered sugar the best, but the baked blueberry ones are good too.
For those who would rather read a mystery series set in a small town with a doughnut shop than make donuts, there is a cozy mystery series for you. I confess from the outset that I was initially enamored of this series because it is set in my home state of North Carolina.
Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck
Recently divorced, donut aficionado Suzanne Hart opens Donut Hearts in her hometown of Angel Springs, North Carolina. As is true with most cozy series, the first murder occurs in connection with in the protagonist’s business as a body is dumped in front of her shop. This series has the requisite ex-husband and new love interest in law enforcement. The book has seven donut recipes along with Cheesy Chicken, Southern Peach cobbler, and a waffle recipe. There are six more in the series, with the seventh book due out later this year. All contain sweet treat recipes.
Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck
Suzanne Hart is once again drawn into investigating a murder when one of her lemon filled donuts is dusted with poison and eaten by the local busybody and charity foundation micromanager. The murder happens just as Suzanne is giving a presentation on making beignets on a charity home tour. Naturally, she is an instant suspect and is forced to investigate to clear her own name before the donut shop is doomed. Suzanne doesn’t get a lot of time with love interest, Jake, but there is just enough to make you want to get to the third book quick to see what happens. This is a sweet cozy series that contains more sugar rush recipes like basic beignets, deep fried cake squares, yeast donuts, and fried bananas.
There are five more in the series, with another due out later this year.
Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck
Evil Éclairs by Jessica Beck
Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck
Killer Crullers by Jessica Beck
Drop Dead Chocolate by Jessica Beck
Powdered Peril by Jessica Beck – release date August 28, 2012
Jessica Beck’s next book, titled Legally Iced, will be released in December of this year.
For those interested in making their own donuts at home, there are a few books on that subject. Baked or fried, donuts always make people smile. Although I have not tried this myself, here are a couple of books that looked interesting.
Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home by Lara Ferroni
Donuts by Elinore Kilvans
Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker by Mark Klebeck and Jess Thomson
Donuts!!!! Hate Krispy Kreme (please don’t hate me) but like Dunkin and still pine for Mel-O-Cream from Springfield, Illinois.
Hey, is this like Free Book Friday???? Are you going to send a lucky “commenter” a dozen donuts from their favorite shop????
My favorite donuts come from Shipley’s here in Texas. Hubby used to be their electrician/troubleshooter for years. He’d bring home fresh donuts often. I was a sucker for the plain glazed, while his favorite were the cake donuts. Yummy!
Eventually, our hips and arteries demanded that we give up our donut habit. Now we indulge rarely, but when we do, it’s a real treat!
Thanks for the blog; brought back lots of good memories!
I’ve been known to read a cozy once in a while, though never the whole series. I’ll keep Jessica Beck in mind for the next time 🙂
Yum! Can’t remember the last time I had a donut….but I will be picking a few up today…to honor National Donut Day , of course!
BTW, my favorites are bavarian creme and filled long johns!
In Idaho we had Spudnuts, (made with potato flour) My first job was at the Spudnut Shop on 1st street. Best donuts ever! My favorite was the strawberry glazed donuts. Yum!