Blognut would like to introduce you to our new weekly Donut column entitled “Celebrities Caught Thinking About Donuts.” The column will be written by yours truly, Blognut, and will feature candid sightings of primarily B-list celebrities caught in the act of thinking about Donuts. We’d like to kick things off with David Duchovny, seen here thinking about Donuts.

Donut aficionado and entrepreneur Mark Israel, proprietor of the Lower East Side’s The Doughnut Plant, has definitely learned to take advantage of this city’s severe lack of choice Donut dealers. It seems like every time I turn the corner I find another of Israel’s irresistible creations staring me in the face, prompting a speedy and involuntary exchange of cash for Donut. Over the weekend I stumbled upon two such locales at opposite ends of the city.

First off, Zabar’s. While I’ve been slurping home brew from a Zabar’s coffee mug (a present from the Missus) for quite a few years now, I’d never actually set foot in this NYC icon. This 73 year old, Upper West Side “gourmet epicurean emporium” sells the finest in matzo balls, deli meats, bread products, and kitchen ware. And apparently, also Doughnut Plant Doughnuts. Does anyone know how long this has been going on? Because I would have made it uptown a long time ago had I known what awaited me in a little glass case behind the Zabar’s bakery. I go with the Orange Glazed, which just so happens to be the first ever Doughnut Plant Doughnut I ingested (another gift from Mrs. Blognut) upon relocating to the big city.

My purchase is composed of Mark’s standard yeast-raised dough, full of flavor and textural complexity like no other. There’s a vague “Chinese food-y” character to my Doughnut - which I know is a really poor description on my part – almost as if it had been fried in sesame oil. I remember so clearly my virginal Doughnut Plant palate being baffled by this strange flavor upon my first taste last year. But this time I was better prepared for the shear genius of Mr. Israel and his abstract, bombardment on the tongue. The orange-zest-infused glaze completes the Eastern character, bringing to mind the sweetness of orange chicken, one of my favorite Chinese dishes. I’m probably not making this sound very good, but trust me, it is.

Next up is Naidre’s café, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. This intimate establishment specializes in great coffee, home-cooked comfort food, and some of the best baked goods around. Upon arriving at said café this past Sunday, my plan was to enjoy a cranberry orange muffin and a Farmer John (a kick-ass Panini with turkey, cheddar sliced green apples). But my plan is foiled the moment I spot a pile of DP Doughnuts sitting amongst a pile of other bready baked goods. In keeping with the weekend’s citrus theme, I go with a Lemon Glazed. It tastes nearly the same as my Zabar’s Orange, but with a little extra citrus punch thanks to the lemon zest. On the way out I spot a quote scrawled on a chalkboard by renowned chef and food writer James Beard, reading, “Too few people appreciate the importance of a really good sandwich,”, a sentiment I whole-heartedly agree with and often apply to Donuts.

Zabar’s
245 W 80TH St (Between Broadway and West End Avenue)
New York, NY

Naidre’s
502 Henry St (Cross Street: Sackett Street)
Brooklyn, NY

Donut Scores:

Orange Glazed -

Lemon Glazed -

Stay tuned for Blognut’s shocking revilation about Homer’s World Famous Malt Shop.

A candle-impaled Donut would be too obvious. So instead Mrs. Blognut got me a Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Cake with a frosting-and-sprinkle Donut representation on top. After Donuts, and perhaps pulled pork BBQ, Oatmeal Cookie Crunch has to be the best food there is, period.

Perhaps the most exciting facet of the Pop-Nut Donut chain is their limited-edition seasonal and holiday offerings. And while Krispy Kreme certainly expresses the most creativity in temporally-relevant Donuts (see their shamrock-shaped St. Patty’s, heart-shaped V-day, and pumpkin-like Halloween frosted-varieties), I find Dunkin’s half-hearted attempt at seasonality far more amusing. As if simply taking their standard yeast-raised frosted and coating it with overly food-dyed ceremonious frosting colors and sprinkles for a few days actually tricks patrons into feeling festive. The fact that my “Christmas Donut” is drenched in red and green goo doesn’t make me forget that it’s half stale and owned by a group of money-grubbing equity firms with names like Bain Capital, The Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners.

That said, this past Saturday, the moment that rack of radioactive green distracts me from my stroll down Lexington Avenue, my Irish spirit takes over and I soon find myself at the DD counter ordering their St. Patrick’s Day special. Essentially Dunkin’s newly-released Berry Berry Donut topped with bright green and pink frosting (not sure what pink has to do with St. Patty?) instead of strawberry candy crunch, this Emerald Donut is a big let down. Partly due to it’s lack of originality, but also to the fact that it got stuffed in a paper bag for 3 hours before being eaten and all the frosting came off. Flavor-wise, just think standard DD yeast dough filled with slightly artificial tasting raspberry jelly.

Just for fun I also purchase the actual Berry Berry which was far more pleasing, both in aesthetic and taste. The faux-jelly is accented by an even phonier tasting strawberry candy crunch, reminiscent of many KK Donuts-of-the-Month, which often come topped with gravel-y candy bits. It’s exactly what I look for in a Pop Donut – brightly-colored, sugary, and full of All-American artificially-flavored satisfaction.

Rachael Ray’s new role as Dunkin Donuts spokesperson most certainly solidifies her position as the Food Network’s working class representative. I can almost hear the last inkling of respect Batali and Flay have for their perky colleague frying away in a vat of EVOO. Rachael’s duties require her to serve as “brand representative,” help develop DD’s new trans fat-free “Better for you” line of Donuts and generally serve as the smiling face of Dunkin. I guess they must have misplaced Blognut’s number.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Dear Blognut,

As an avid fan of the Blognot, I thought you’d like to hear about the infamous “Donas” of costa rica. After arriving in San Jose, Coast Rica after several delays I was quite hungry and had some time to kill before my flight to quepos. Outside the airport I noticed a food stand, and in the case stood the aforementioned Donas in all its apparent glory. However, I was very curious to see if expectation would be met, or if looks would be deceiving.

Upon glancing at the exterior of the Donas it looks very intriguing. It is very similar to something you might find at your local DD, but our usual chocolate icing had been replaced by a rather attractive “dolce de leche” type caramel glaze with a hint of chocolate. This seemed incredibly appealing! Upon cutting into the donas I was pleased to note its impressive interior structure. The air pockets seemed both appropriately placed and plentiful, and there appeared to be a slight glisten that hinted at the perfect moist interior.

But alas, we were fooled by this deceitful confection. With first bite it was apparent that the caramel icing was cloyingly over-sweet, the glisten was not moisture but un-emulsified fat and the donas was rather dry, albeit greasy.

Overall I would say the Donas was a big disappointment, and this doughnut nut will stick with his Krispy Kremes, thank you very much.

Kind regards,

Manuel Antonio

Now I’m not Italian - but what the Hell’s up with the Zeppole at Monteleone’s? The newly reopened authentic Italian Bakery in the heart of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn serves their traditional Italian Donuts baked, not fried! At least that’s what the cashier tells me. And to the best of Blognut’s knowledge, the fried-ness is what makes Zeppole Zeppole. That and the fact that every Zeppola (singular spelling) I’ve had to date has only been composed of a small knot of filling-less dough. But Monty’s version seems to be more of an oversized cream puff accented by two withered cherries.

However, a bit of research humbles Blognut’s air of Donut-knowledge. It seems that many traditional Italian-American Zeppole recipes require the pastry to be baked, not fried. And they’re often composed of a light and airy, filled dough similar to an American popover stuffed with thick cream. Particularly St. Joseph’s Day Cream Puffs, or Zeppole di San Giuseppe, which are generally baked and cream filled.

But here’s where things get confusing. Upon tasting my Zeppola I detect that fried crispy-ness and oily aftertaste so associated with fried cuisine. It seems to walk the line between having been submerged in boiling oil and simply baked, and I compromise that it’s lightly fried. In the end, I really have no idea whether Zeppole must be fried, baked, stuffed or just plain doughy. I figure “Zeppole” most likely developed as a catch-all term for any Italian pastry consisting of a ball of dough. However, I do know that most American Zeppole tend to be limp and taste-less, while whatever this is, has a rich, creamy flavor and a satisfying exoskeleton of crunch. Since I was unable to speak with Monteleone’s baker, can anyone out there confirm the doughy-ness, creamy-ness, and fried-ness of authentic Italian Zeppole?

Monteleone’s
355 Court St
Carroll Gardens
Brooklyn, NY

For the next week, Austin, Texas will serve as the Donut to a thick glaze of independent music. Perfectly scruffy musicians, small time record execs, PR-folk and scores of bearded twenty-somethings will pour into the Lone Star capital to attend the nation’s premiere indie rock festival, South by Southwest. And while nearly every hour of every day will be packed with discussion panels, film screenings and loads of white dudes playing guitars, after days of non-stop schmoozing, partying and awkward dancing, festival-goers will definitely be in need of a food break.

Now I know what you’re thinking. This Donut guy’s about to recommend that we waste time in Austin eating Donuts rather than gorging on more regional fare. Well, you’re only partially right. I’m here to say that Texas actualy harbors a rich Donut history that while not as well-known as the State’s tradition of BBQed meats and tortilla-bound fare, still warrants a great deal of respect. So yes, while in Austin, definitely stop by El Sol y La Luna for a Taco de Peurco, and inhale some beef brisket at the Salt Lick, but also make the 20 minute drive north of the city to Round Rock Donuts.

Donuts most likely arrived in Texas with the slews of Eastern European immigrants that poured into the state in the mid-to-late 1800s. The Czechs brought the kolache, a bread pastry topped with jelly or cheese, and the Germans brought the Bismark, essentially a predecessor to the modern day jelly or cream filled Donut. The Donut caught on quickly and spawned numerous Donut dealers all over the state, the most famous of which is surely Shipley’s Do-Nuts, which survives today with nearly 200 franchises across Texas and the Deep South. In 1926 a lesser known, but equally impressive Donut bakery popped up in Round Rock, an Austin suburb 15 miles north of town. Initially founded by a fellow called Reinhold R. Moehring, and now owned by Jan and Dale Cohrs, Round Rock Donuts has over the years achieved regional dominance, now peddling their product at 19 locations in and around Austin, including the Chevron station of South Congress Street where on our first night in town we scored a late-night, post-rehearsal dinner Donut. Did I mention Mrs. Blognut and I were in Austin for a friend’s wedding?

But groggy Donut ingestion at a gas station at 2:00 AM doesn’t constitute a proper Round Rock evaluation. So first thing the next morning we made the trip to Round Rock, Texas for a taste of Round Rock, Donut.

In its third structural incarnation since opening, RR is the only Donut shop I’m aware of held together by sturdy rock walls and enormous, hunting lodge-esque wooden beams. Families, geriatrics and teenagers pack the place until the line extends out the door.

The first Donut we spot is a “Texas Donut” (pictured above), which really just means, “big-ass Donut.” And while a Donut over a foot in diameter certainly sounds tempting, the thought of ingesting such an object in between two gluttonous nights of booze and catered meals seems like a bad idea. I instead go for a Round Rock, an Apple Cider, and a Cream-filled Bismark.

Yellow Glazed

The Round Rock is a yeast-raised glazed like no other. The dough is so soft and warm it nearly disappears the moment it hits my tongue. The perfectly sweet glaze and airy dough shine with a bright orange hue, the origin of which I never figure out - although I’m guessing eggs and perhaps food coloring are involved. Surely one of the finest yeast raised glazed Donuts I’ve had, the Round Rock ranks right up there with its Texan cousin.

Apple Sauce

The Apple Sauce is also choice. The cake dough is super soft and moist and tastes as if it’s been soaked all morning in a vat of pureed apples. A modest coating of glaze provides an extra kick of SWEET.

Bismark with no creme

Lastly, the Bismark’s just OK. While composed of a soft and flavorful (though not orange) yeast dough, and coated with rich chocolate frosting, there’s merely a dollup of Boston-y creme stuffed in its belly. NEEDS MORE CREME!

Also on the menu are a selection of Kolaches. But even my Czech ancestry can’t convince me to order what amounts to a bland dinner roll carved out to house a pile of jam. My connection with the bohemian pastry is only cultural, as every version I’ve ever tasted has been a Texas-sized disappointment.

We polish off all three Donuts in our parked rental car and head back to Austin. Before long we’re crammed in a bus on the way to the Villa Antonia to join in our friend’s nuptials. The weather’s perfect, the bride and groom appear ecstatic and everyone’s adequately whiskey’d. Good times all around.

Round Rock Donuts
106 W. Liberty
Round Rock, TX

Donut Scores:

Round Rock -

Apple Cider -

Bismark -

Welcome to the new and improved Blognut, featuring new logos, new looks, big-ass Donut pics and even maps. I’d like to thank Steve for all his hard work and painstakingly boxing up all the Donuts over at the Blogger site and restocking the shelves here at theblognut.net. Nicely Done Steve. So update your links, or your favorites, or whatever, presuming you still want to be associated with Blognut, and feel free to drop me some feedback on the new site (theblognut@gmail.com). Enjoy!

And in other Doughnut news - New York Magazine’s Best of NY 2007 was just released naming Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s Pies-n-Thighs as the best Doughnut dealer in the city. While Blognut has yet to visit Pies, I’ve been meaning to try their “Texas Grapefruit-sized” nutmeg-spiked cake Doughnuts for quite some time. Hopefully I’ll get to it soon. The only qualm I have with NYMs review is their declaration that cake Doughnuts are somehow more authentically American than yeast-raised. And while I’ll give you that many old-fashioned American Doughnuts, particularly in the NYC region and those fried by the Salvation Army Donut Lassies in WWI are composed of cake dough, let’s not forget that yeast-raised Donuts had been circulating in the US since the 1800s as direct descendents of their Italian, Dutch and Eastern European ancestors. Plus I would argue that the emergence and popularity of Yeast-raised corporations like DD and KK in the 50’s and 60’s - both of whose flagship Donuts are levened - won back America’s stomach from their short stint in cake-Donut appreciation. Really I’m just trying to justify my own preference for raised Donuts here since the NYMag article made me feel un-American.

Lastly, Blognut will be in Austin, Texas over the weekend for a good friend’s hitching and hopefully will get a chance to sneak off to Round Rock. Wish me luck.
-b

Amy’s Bread is best known for supplying NYC foodies and high-end eateries with some of the finest artisanal breads this city has to offer. But hidden amongst the Rosemary Round Bread and Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel in Amy’s display case sits an unassuming and often over-looked offering - a Lowfat Apple Sauce Donut.

This plump ball of dough tastes like a cinnamon-heavy spice cake infused with a juice box full of Motts. The cake dough is dense but not too heavy, and while moist, leaves not a trace of oily residue on my hands. Some of you long-time Blognut readers may remember the Apple Sauce’s earlier work - recreating the cover Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ album.

Amy’s Bread Locations:

672 Ninth Avenue
(Between 46th & 47th Streets)
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: (212) 977-2670

75 Ninth Avenue
(Between 15th & 16th Streets)
New York, NY 10011
Telephone: (212) 462-4338

250 Bleecker Street
at Leroy Street
New York, NY 10014
Telephone: (212) 675-7802
Fax: (212) 675-7831

Donut Score:

Lowfat Apple Sauce -