"national doughnut day" news and stories

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Perhaps thought of as an American tradition, the doughnut actually has Dutch roots. According to legend, fried cakes were discovered in colonial times by accident, when a horse kicked over a pot of boiling oil, which spilled all over uncooked pastry dough to fortuitous results. Fried cakes became popular in the Northeast, taking the Dutch name "olykoeks" meaning "oily cakes."

Fast forward to the mid-1800s, when the New England shipping industry was thriving. The concerned mother of a ship captain made fried cakes for her son to take on his voyage, making use of his cargo and spicing the cakes with lemon rind, nutmeg and cinnamon to ward off illness at sea. She would push a large walnut or hazelnut in the center -- where the dough perhaps wouldn't cook through otherwise -- and the term "doughnut" was born.

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It's National Doughnut Day. Celebrate what must surely be Homer Simpson's favorite holiday with a free doughnut. Participating Krispy Kremes are offering a free one to customers, and Dunkin' Donuts will give a free doughnut to anyone who buys a beverage. All you jackalopes out there will have to buy your own.

Some people spell it donut and some people spell it doughnut. However you spell it, today is the day to eat them.

Krispy Kreme is going to celebrate the day by giving away one free donut (it's only in participating stores so you'll have to ask if the store in your area is, you know, participating). Are you flying on Southwest Airlines today, out of Dallas' Love Field or airports in Tulsa, San Antonio, or Kansas City? They're giving away free donuts at those locations too. You are now free to move around the country if you can with donuts in your stomach.

I don't think Dunkin' Donuts is doing anything for the day, which is too bad. Unless Krispy Kremes are hot and fresh, they're not as good as Dunkin's.

(I've always wanted to try Stan's Doughnuts in L.A. Luckily they have a web site.)

Or as some people spell them, donuts.

Today is National Doughnut Day, so head on over to Dunkin' Donuts for your morning coffee and pastry item (it is Monday morning after all, so you need the caffeine and sugar rush). Or perhaps Krispy Kreme (*cough* overrated *cough*).

Then again you could try one of the many, many recipes for doughnuts over at CD Kitchen, including Applesauce Drop Doughnuts, Coconut Cake Doughnuts, and Glazed Chocolate.

(Note: I've found several sources that say National Doughnut Day is in June, but I've found just as many that say it's today, so maybe we'll luck out and have two doughnut days a year.)