Did Donuts Originate in America?

[wolram]

Did they originate in America? whatever, they do show up on tv
(from memory) a lot, i think they have caught on in the UK now,
i just bought a bag of 5 jam ones for 99p at my local
garage/shop.
I was hungry and only had £1 50p.

 

[Astronuc]

The toroidal doughnut is apparently an American idea, although the origin is apparently disputed. Pastries were introduced by various immigrant groups from Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doughnut
http://feedandsupply.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html

Fried dough history - http://home.comcast.net/~osoono/history.htm

 

[Kurdt]

I remember a Michael Palin documentary where he was either in Turkey or the middle east somewhere (I can't remember exactly where) and they were making doughnuts there. I'm sure I heard Palin's guide say that they originated from there, and they eat them as a breakfast dish. It is of course not like the doughnuts we're used to now.

 

[JasonRox]

Didn't heart disease originate from doughtnuts?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ah, donuts! I love donuts. For the most part I can't eat them any more due to blood sugar issues, but there is nothing like a fresh hot Krispy Kreme donut - the absolute best and Portlands favorite! If you have never had a Krispy Kreme and you see a store, try one. They are fantastic! Every bite will melt in your mouth.
http://www.krispykreme.com/

They are so good that every now and again I will risk three hours of hell just to eat one.

 

[Huckleberry]

Having grown up in New England I prefer the Dunkin Donut style. They aren't light and fluffy bites of sugary nothings like the Krispy Kremes. DD donuts hit your stomach like a head on with a runaway ice cream truck. An hour after the consuming one still feels like having eaten a donut. KK donuts can never satisfy a true donut addict.

 

[Moonbear]

Having grown up in New England I prefer the Dunkin Donut style. They aren't light and fluffy bites of sugary nothings like the Krispy Kremes. DD donuts hit your stomach like a head on with a runaway ice cream truck. An hour after the consuming one still feels like having eaten a donut. KK donuts can never satisfy a true donut addict.

I agree, I have the same opinion of Krispy Kremes...there's nothing to them but sugar. I keep trying to find the donut, but I'm convinced they've just molded sugar into a donut shape.

And, welcome back! Haven't seen you around in ages!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

DD makes cakes not donuts.

 

[Ki Man]

here in california, we don't have donuts. we have burritos.

 

[Huckleberry]

What's in a name? That which we call a donut by any other name would taste as sweet.

Perhaps what passes for a donut in New England is not technically a donut by definition, I speak for all trueblooded New Englanders when I say that we will defend the honor of the Dunkin Donut to stand among its peers as a fellow North American donut. It has a prestigious location among other North American foods that are not, by definition, like their foreign predecessors. The pizza, the french fry, the chimichanga, all represent what it is to be a United Statesian and yet all of them have evolved from their original form.

Could it be that Dunkin Donuts donuts are the natural evolution of a superior donut and will eventually replace the Krispy Kreme donut as the North American standard? I think so, sir.

 

[radou]

http://www.coolinarika.com/repository/images/_variations/8/1/814807f8a768d243718278d3fa9ffbcd_featured.jpg" is what we eat down here. It's like doughnuts, but without that silly hole in the middle.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

I just bought some apple filled donuts. They are very good.

 

[Huckleberry]

I prefer the BAvarian Creme. (darn this shift key.) I like the apple donuts when I feel I ought to be eating something healthy or if I ever decided to go on a diet.

Hey radou, I don't know what you call those things but they look bad for you. I would love them. I'd love them even more with some HErsheys chocolate on top.

 

[turbo]

Dunkin' Donuts are a poor imitation of the gut-filling New England cake-style donuts of my childhood. A couple that were our best friends moved to the Seattle area shortly after they married, and we would send Lynnie a box of Nissen's chocolate donuts every few months just to keep her from going off the deep end. It seems that Seattle had fallen to the same devious demon that plagues the Mid-Atlantic and the South...the idea that a donut ought to be a bit of sweet airy fluff with no substance.

This perversion is paralleled by the regional degradation of biscuits. Here in Maine, you would be talked about behind your back (perhaps within earshot) if you brought southern-style cakey-type biscuits to a church supper or PTA fundraiser instead of the traditional pastry-style biscuits that have been folded and rolled out many times to make the tall, layered confections that just BEG for butter.

 

[scorpa]

The best donuts I have ever had are made by my Grandma, to bad she doesn't make them anymore. Her homemade donuts dipped in icing sugar are to die for! As I don't get those anymore I have to be happy with Tim Hortons which are good, just not the same level as a homemade one.

 

[Huckleberry]

There should be a poll to determine for good and all what the best donut of the land is. We need something to gather the masses in the virtual stadium of PF once again. Intellectual pursuits are difficult to make really personal. I'd wager that the moment people are straining most to understand new meaning in Quantum Physics or Politics their thoughts wander to their coffee and then inevitably to the glorious donut that would go so well on a shiny little plate next to it. What better to debate than the proper texture of the perfect donut.

 

[Evo]

It has to be a yeast doughnut. Cake doughnuts are ok sometimes, but my mom always made homemade yeast donuts and she makes the best doughnuts in the world. I'd eat them plain or with just a little sprinkle of sugar.

Why do doughnut shops have to pour ten pounds of sugar gloop over every single doughnut? I spend ten minutes trying to scrape the sickening gloop off the doughnut, then what's left is a squashed wad of dough.

 

[wolram]

The doughnuts i purchased refused to break up into anything swallow able,
the jam was just sweet with no taste ,and half and hour after eating them i wished i had not.

 

[Moonbear]

Why do doughnut shops have to pour ten pounds of sugar gloop over every single doughnut? I spend ten minutes trying to scrape the sickening gloop off the doughnut, then what's left is a squashed wad of dough.

See, now Dunkin' Donuts has a plain donut that doesn't have any sugar on it, so even you could be happy with the choices there. Of course, I avoid those completely. But, if I were truly inclined toward dunking donuts in coffee, I'd probably want one free of all the extra toppings. My favorites are the jelly donuts. That's the ones I can't get anywhere else. All the other donut shops ask you what flavor jelly...I don't want a flavor, I want RED...that's all it is, it's just red jelly, nobody knows what flavor that is in a Dunkin' Donut jelly donut, and it's certainly not any of the flavors available in the other donut shops (I tried every flavor Tim Horton's has in the hopes of identifying the elusive "red" flavor). And, I do like the sugar glazed ones, but the sugar has to be a crisp layer on the outside of a nice fluffy donut on the inside, not the Krispy Kreme variety of sugar somehow infused through the entire donut so the donut tastes somehow wet.

 

[Astronuc]

When I was much younger, I used to get 'Old-fashioned Plain" doughnuts at DD, because I could handle the 'gloop' as Evo mentioned.

Now I eat just about any kind. My favorite is the Boston Creme with custard filling and a chocolate glaze. I like Eclairs for the same reason.
http://www.pastrywiz.com/dailyrecipes/recipes/512.htm

 

[Evo]

See, now Dunkin' Donuts has a plain donut that doesn't have any sugar on it, so even you could be happy with the choices there.

Yes, I remember those!

My favorites are the jelly donuts. That's the ones I can't get anywhere else. All the other donut shops ask you what flavor jelly...I don't want a flavor, I want RED...that's all it is, it's just red jelly, nobody knows what flavor that is in a Dunkin' Donut jelly donut,

I like the jelly filled ones too. RED, that's too funny. According to Dunkin Donuts, it contains apple juice, artificial red color and artificial and natural flavors. It does not contain crustaceans.

https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/nutrition/Product.aspx?Category=Donuts&id=DD-532

 

[ZapperZ]

I haven't had doughnuts in 2 years!

Ever since I got into trying to not have any trans-fat, I stopped eating all doughnuts because of the frying oil that are used in most of the doughnut places, including Dunkin Doughnuts and Krispy kreme. So far, both have not said anything about switching to a different type of oil, at least not that I know of.

Zz.

 

[Huckleberry]

Yes, I remember those!

I like the jelly filled ones too. RED, that's too funny. According to Dunkin Donuts, it contains apple juice, artificial red color and artificial and natural flavors. It does not contain crustaceans.

https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/nutrition/Product.aspx?Category=Donuts&id=DD-532

There is nothing worse than taking a bite into your tasty Dunkin Donut and chipping a tooth on a barnacle. Ofcourse, we all know where jelly comes from.

http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/content/tm5j0u4yb315k2a5/

 

[Moonbear]

I haven't had doughnuts in 2 years!

Ever since I got into trying to not have any trans-fat, I stopped eating all doughnuts because of the frying oil that are used in most of the doughnut places, including Dunkin Doughnuts and Krispy kreme. So far, both have not said anything about switching to a different type of oil, at least not that I know of.

Zz.

And they better NOT switch! I don't want the flavor ruined by trying to make a donut healthy! C'mon, we all know they aren't healthy, that's the whole point of eating them, to clog your arteries with fat and sugar!

Now, thanks guys, I'm craving a Dunkin' Donuts jelly donut and there isn't any place around here to get one.

 

[wolram]

I haven't had doughnuts in 2 years!

Ever since I got into trying to not have any trans-fat, I stopped eating all doughnuts because of the frying oil that are used in most of the doughnut places, including Dunkin Doughnuts and Krispy kreme. So far, both have not said anything about switching to a different type of oil, at least not that I know of.

Zz.

May be they should use beef dripping, i saw an article in the paper bashing
modern food, (go back to the old way it said), a beef dripping sarnie will not harm you.

 

[light_bulb]

i used to work at dunkin donuts, they use lard.

 

[Ki Man]

i used to work at dunkin donuts, they use lard.

EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

 

[wolram]

EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

The quality of fish and chips took a nose dive when they started using
modern oils, the best were cooked in beef dripping.
And we have lardy cakes, things cooked with suet etc.

 

[ZapperZ]

The quality of fish and chips took a nose dive when they started using
modern oils, the best were cooked in beef dripping.
And we have lardy cakes, things cooked with suet etc.

I'd rather they use beef drippings to fry fish and chips rather than use trans-fat, the same way I'd rather they use real butter than margarine or shortening in cakes and cookies. At least you know that saturated fats only increase your LDL and not kill your HDL at the same time the way trans-fats do.

There is a place here near Argonne called Del-Rea Chicken Basket that has become the ONLY place left that I'll eat fried chicken. They proudly advertise that they don't use trans fat in their cooking oil but rather 100% vegetable oil. They have the best southern fried chicken anywhere! And one should try their corn fritters! Yowzah! I could eat dozens of just that!

It shows that you CAN get great fried food without trans-fat and without sacrificing tastes. Still, I won't want to tell that to my doctor each time I have my physical!

Zz.

 

[J77]

The Dutch are obsessed with deep frying -- especially bar snacks.

Also, they have doughnut like things called Olliebollen around Christmas time -- like hinted at in one of the earlier replies, the US doughnut probably came from the [Dutch] settlers. (I can't think of an English equivalent that could have been brought across.)

e2a: following the earlier wiki link -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliebollen

e2a2: "One theory is that they were introduced into North America by Dutch settlers" -- wiki agrees with me

 

[hypatia]

In Denmark they have a doughnut called Aebleskiver. About the size and shape of a tennis ball. The ones I had were topped with berry jam and sugar. They use a really cool cast iron pan, that has perfect indentations, for cooking them.
And if you happen to be in Poland on Fat Tuesday, give the Paczki a try. I have found a few bakery's near me that make them. I believe each one has 10,000 million calories :!)

 

[wolram]

In Denmark they have a doughnut called Aebleskiver. About the size and shape of a tennis ball. The ones I had were topped with berry jam and sugar. They use a really cool cast iron pan, that has perfect indentations, for cooking them.
And if you happen to be in Poland on Fat Tuesday, give the Paczki a try. I have found a few bakery's near me that make them. I believe each one has 10,000 million calories :!)

10,000 million calories and a pre booked visit to the dentist with every
purchase

Whatever happened to the good old brit bread pudding, now that was food.

 

[ZapperZ]

In Denmark they have a doughnut called Aebleskiver. About the size and shape of a tennis ball. The ones I had were topped with berry jam and sugar. They use a really cool cast iron pan, that has perfect indentations, for cooking them.
And if you happen to be in Poland on Fat Tuesday, give the Paczki a try. I have found a few bakery's near me that make them. I believe each one has 10,000 million calories :!)

I have had aebleskiver a few times. In fact, I've helped made some. I still could not figure out how to turn those things in those dimpled pans with using just one stick!

Zz.

 

[FredGarvin]

From Good Eats: Circle of Life
http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season8/doughnut/circle_of_life.htm

SCENE 4
Netherlands

If it hadn’t been for Henry the Eighth’s convenient creation of the Church of England, there never would have been English Separatists. Nor would said Separatists have needed to depart England for the more religiously tolerant climate of the Netherlands. And if they hadn’t moved to the Netherlands, these Separatists never would have developed a taste for olykoeks—small pieces of dough, about the size of a walnut, fried in hog fat and very, very popular with the Dutch. But they did. And when they finally decided to move on to settle a new-world rock called Plymouth, these Pilgrims took olykoeks with them. [looks at the comely Holland girl sitting behind him] Can’t imagine why they wanted to leave, though.

Some say that it only took a couple hundred years for these 'nuts of dough' to be called doughnuts.

 

[hypatia]

I have had aebleskiver a few times. In fact, I've helped made some. I still could not figure out how to turn those things in those dimpled pans with using just one stick!

Zz.

Its a talent, I offered to lend a hand too. I'm sure they are still laughing at the memory

 

[radou]

Hey radou, I don't know what you call those things but they look bad for you. I would love them. I'd love them even more with some HErsheys chocolate on top.

Actually, they're not so bad.. if you know when to stop, of course.

Oh yes, and the chocolate-coated ones are delicious.