What sweetened fried dough usually shaped into a circle or ring originally known as olykoeks or oily cakes, is recognized nationally on the first Friday in June? Any idea? Maybe this will help.These treats have been celebrated since 1938 during WWI when Salvation Army women served them to soldiers on the front lines. It brought the men some comfort and a little taste of home, and earned the women the nickname “Donut Lassies”. Know now? Yes, I’m talking about the delectable, delicious, delicacies known as donuts! Or doughnuts, if you prefer.
My affection for these confections dates back to the 60s, when a dozen or so made their way into our home on Sunday mornings. These delights came straight from one of our local donut shops. We actually had four within a five-mile radius – how sweet was that! Dunkin’ Donuts on East Street, Pittsfield Rye Bakery on South Street, John Street Bakery naturally on John Street, and Melecca’s a small mom and pop shop on Onota Street, that most likely got their donuts from one of the those three bakeries. Whether lying in rows separated by thin sheets of grease-resistant paper in a brown cardboard box or piled high in a white waxy grease-proof bag, as soon as the container was opened the heavenly aroma of sweetness filled our kitchen. And soon after, the pleasing taste of sugary pillows filled our mouths. Mmm! Most often we devoured glazed, cinnamon and jelly donuts, and on special occasions we had crullers or eclairs. My favorite? It’s a tie between the simple, yet elegant, melt-in-your-mouth glazed donut and the sugar flecked one bursting with fruity jam, the good old-fashioned jelly donut.
While these pastries have a long history in European cooking and have roots in Middle Eastern cuisine, we have the Dutch to thank for introducing them to America in the early 18th century. Then, donuts were basically ball-shaped dough that had been fried in pork fat. Some years later, bakers began putting nuts in their centers because the outer edges cooked quicker leaving their middles soft. Perhaps that’s why they were named “doughnuts”. The person who claims he invented the ring-shaped donut way back in 1847, was a 16-year-old American ship captain by the name of Hanson Gregory. As the story goes, his mom Elizabeth used the spices in his cargo to make cinnamon and nutmeg donuts with walnuts and hazelnuts in their middles, and sent them along with Hanson on his journeys. As the tale continues, having to keep both hands on the wheel during a raging storm once, Hanson skewered his mom’s donuts onto the spokes of the wheel. Ha! In an interview many years later, he said he actually used the top of a tin box to cut out the centers, thereby creating ring-shaped donuts and the first ever donut holes, too! Though more likely true, I like the image of the first version better.
I’ve always associated donuts with breakfast, but about twenty years ago that all changed. That’s when I learned about sufganiyot from our Israeli hairdresser, Ignot.
From my journal: December 6, 2004, Newbury Park, California
“She suggested Angel Bakery & Cafe on Ventura and said it makes a great dessert for Hanukkah dinner…can’t wait to try it!”
Sufganiyot is a cross between a jelly donut and beignet and they’re popular during Hanukkah. Although this wasn’t a part of Robert’s family’s traditions, it became one of ours.
Donuts have come a long way since their humble beginnings as “oily cakes,” and even since I became acquainted with them. They are now created in all shapes and sizes. They can be decorated with a dusting of powdered sugar or covered with a syrupy glaze. They can be iced with thick flavorful frosting or dipped in melted candy and splashed with colorful sprinkles. They can also do double duty and be used as a sandwich for ice cream or even buns for hamburgers. Wow! For breakfast or dessert, donuts aren’t just for dunking anymore. Treat yourself this Friday, June 2nd on National Donut Day by enjoying your favorite kind. It’ll be a great way, to sweeten your day!
A Journal Journey 