For some reason Mrs. Blognut was reading the Edmonton Sun. But I’m glad she was because she came across a breaking Donut story straight out of London, Ontario in which a Tim Horton’s employee was fired for giving away a $.16 Timbit to a baby.

Timbit’s are the Canadian Donut giant’s equivalent to Munchkins. And while the 27 year old mother of four who committed this unacceptable criminal act was promptly rehired thanks to a press freak-out, she feels that returning to Tim Horton’s - even at another location - “will be awkward.”

Still, the accused is for the time being working at a Tim Horton’s down the street and owned by the same franchisee but will not be giving away any more freebies; according to TH spokeswomen, Rachel Douglas, a nationwide policy on giving away free Timbits has yet to be determined.

Read the full story here and stay tuned for our interview with Mark Klebeck of Top Pot Doughnuts.

Sorry for the lack of posts – I was in DC most of last week for real job stuff and then got distracted by a Clinic concert and a friend of a friend’s circus. Part of me had wanted to toss a plain glazed through the gates of the white house lawn just to see what would happen. Lights? Alarms? Armed secret service dudes, etc. But instead I ended up at Starbucks eating a fairly moist and sweet Chocolate Glazed from Top Pot with an iced coffee.

Top Pot is small Seattle chain and, along with The Doughnut Plant and Voodoo, is really one of the few Doughnut shops furthering Doughnut culture – as opposed to hanging on by a thread of yeast dough like so many indie Doughnut shops faced with DD and KK infiltration. Almost two years ago – is this blog that old? – Blognut field-correspondent Beta Blognut reported on Top Pot and dropped near perfect scores on their Pink Feather Boa and Double Trouble Chocolate Cake. This of course was back when we still used a Doughnut rating scale before realizing that really all Doughnuts are pretty good and nothing ever received a bad score. But rating scale or no rating scale TP Doughnuts are tops and I was happy to find them in a Portland, OR ‘bucks last year. I assumed this was just a regional North Western situation, but after the DC encounter I did some Google-ing and learned the partnership’s gone national.

Apparently as of of April 8th Top Pot has reached Starbucks in all 50 states, replacing the corporate coffee monster’s really fatty and really just-OK Doughnuts. And I’ve got so many questions. Did TP give up their recipe? Do they fry them in Seattle and Fed-Ex all over the country? Maybe use regional bakeries like ‘bucks does for certain products? I’m waiting to talk with the folks at Top Pot for the details so stay tuned. Here’s a shoddy camera phone pic:

ROSEBURG, Ore. - This past week two guys in cowboy outfits offered Donuts to two sheriff’s deputies. The cops declined and later investated a convenience store robbery in which Donuts were stolen and cowboy boot prints were found on the floor. The two guys were arrested. Once again Donuts find themselves at the forefront of justice!

Ed Levine reports that Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery is now serving glazed Donuts, passion fruit-creme-filled Donuts and Donut holes!

Glazed Doughnut: I have enjoyed the filled doughnuts at Bouchon Bakery immensely and now the bakers there have branched out into glazed doughnuts. Very vanilla-ey, moist, but surprisingly dense and not feather-light by any means.

Passion-Fruit-Cream Filled Doughnut: Need I say more? Tart and sweet and delectable, but so rich and heavy each one could feed three or four.

Doughnut Holes: These are called some fancypants French name, but doughnut holes are what they are. And good ones at that, though I wish they were more moist.

I’m on my way…

A PSA from Dunkin’ (I’m serious, they sent me this):

“Your Fix Is In:

A certain upscale, green-logo’d mackaccino chain will be closing its doors on Tuesday night, February 26, for a mass barista training exercise (stop inhaling the retail, kids?).

You can tell your friends most likely to explode into a caffeine-withdrawal freak-fit that Dunkin’ Donuts will be filling in with a 99¢ latte/cappuccino special from 1-10PM. And you know, chocolate-glaze donuts with pink sprinkles, 24-7.”

https://dunkindonuts.com

Yesterday the New York Times reported that Hillary Clinton’s campaign spent “more than $11,000 on pizza and $1,200 on Dunkin’ Donuts runs” in January alone.

But let’s be serious - fast food on the campaign trail? How many of those Donuts were actually for Bill?

NYMag reports that Dunkin’ Donuts spokeswoman/Food Network star Rachael Ray actually hates Dunkin’ coffee.

Which is fine and all, but when “What is this sh*t? Get me MY coffee,” refers to Starbucks, it just doesn’t make any sense. Cuz Bucks kind of tastes like putting your tongue on a Duracell. And incidentally, Rachael’s show 30 Minute Meals is filmed at the Food Network studios in Chelsea Market, which also happens to house Ninth Street Espresso, which is probably the best coffee shop in New York.

Two downer posts in a row. Sorry! But this is big and horrible news. The last original Dunkin’ Donuts sign is finally coming down. The sign, which dates from around 1957, sits in front of a DD in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood and is apparently too rusty or dirty or something. Andrew Mastrangelo, communications manager for Dunkin’ Brands, says the historic signage has “deteriorated to an unacceptable condition” and will be replaced.

This sucks. I hate seeing mid-century roadside Americana ripped down and replaced with sterile backlit plastic. I realize that early fast-food signage like this was really just an omen of the horrifying suburban-American strip mall epidemic to come. But signs were way cooler back then. There was more neon. And more metal. And retro fonts, which I guess at the time were just fonts. Plus we’re stuck with franchised suburban homogeny for the time being so let’s at least appreciate its history while popping our Munchkins. It’s like if you’re going to Arby’s, at least go to one with the old-school 20-foot cowboy hat sign you know?

The good news is there’s a guy who’s really into signs trying to acquire and preserve the relic. Read the full story here. And have a look at some more classic Mass placards at Super Signage.

I hate to see a Donut shop close. It’s like losing a toe or something. But I’m sad to report the plague of gentrification has done away with one of Brooklyn’s few remaining independent Donut shops, Park Slope’s long standing 5th Avenue Coffee Shop - known per signage simply as “Donuts Coffee Shop.”

Broolynometry reports that 5ACS - along with neighboring restaurant Beso - is being taken over by the adjacent Associated Supermarket. Despite the name, the shop was no longer really about the Donuts. A few sparse racks of rings purchased from an outside bakery was really it. But in terms of classic greasy spoon atmosphere and solid Greekish-American diner fare, 5th Ave couldn’t be beat. Plus owner Chris was always kind in answering my tedious probes about who started the shop. And where they got their Donuts. And what he thought of Dunkin’. (Crap)

For those not up on New York demographics, Park Slope is ground zero for hip urbanite 30-something parents – and the occasional celebrity mom - who mostly rear their offspring on organic pea pods and flaxseed and stuff. So it’s no surprise that this unassuming little space who charged a mere $.90 for coffee and a Donut couldn’t last in the face of boutique infiltration. Hopefully Chris and family will relocate and find success making Donuts, or burgers, or maybe sandwiches. So here’s to Donuts Coffee Shop and struggling mom-and-pop Donuterias everywhere.

Photo courtesy of The Gowanus Lounge.

I’m really more of a Letterman guy but I have to commend Jay Leno for his generosity. This morning the Tonight Show host rolled up on his motorcycle delivering Doughnuts to striking NBC writers. No word on what kind. Most likely Winchell’s. Maybe Krispy Kreme. Or maybe Jay went high-end and stopped off at Frittelli’s. Anyone know?

Jay Leno Doughnut Update: Mike over at The Police Daily was kind enough to send a video of Jay delivering Krispy Kremes to the striking NBC writers. You can watch it here. Thanks Mike.