Week #47, YUMMY Donuts, Dallas, TX

Thirty-six hours in Dallas afforded me the opportunity to visit YUMMY Donuts, a trendy donut shop mentioned to me by Jenny of Making a Foodie. As always, Jenny gave a great recommendation! Being in Dallas for such a short visit made it challenging to get everything done on my wish list. Dinner at Spiral Diner, cupcakes at Sprinkles, an adventure duathlon, shopping at REI...but there had to be time for donuts! And are there ever donuts in Dallas. On the short drive from the hotel to Sprinkles, I counted SIX locally owned/non-chain donut shops. Dallas would be a great town for a donut crawl!

My schedule in Dallas wasn't conducive to acquiring donuts. I arrived late at night, had to be up early the next morning for the duathlon and by the time the race was over, the donut shops were closed. One last chance to get donuts remained. It would have to be early the next morning and it would also make me cut it close to catch my flight home...but I was getting some Texas donuts!

I headed out in the early morning darkness with rain pouring down to find YUMMY. I arrived a few minutes before their posted opening time of 6. As I pulled into the parking space, the lady inside washing windows smiled and waved, inviting me in even though it wasn't quite 6 yet. Yay!

YUMMY is a cute donut shop. Bright orange walls, crisp modern furnishings...everything I see often at cupcake bakeries but rarely at donut shops. Jenny had used the word "trendy" to describe YUMMY and that's a great description. These folks have done to donuts what has been overdone with cupcakes. Donuts really are the next cupcake, y'all. Prepare to be de-throned, cupcake queen. Donuts have arrived!

The selection in the bakery case was extensive. I immediately noticed that many of the donuts had cute little swirls of frosting in hole area, making them look like a short cupcake. Adorable! There were many flavors from birthday cake to mint oreos, lemon to a traditional raised glazed donut. While the flavor selection wasn't extensive, the donuts were not displayed in massive quantities like many donut shops. Instead, they were artfully arranged, each flavor labeled with only one or two of each on display. Again, very cupcake-y. That's not a bad thing.

Speaking of that raised glazed donut, the gal behind the counter insisted that I should try one. I had read on-line reviews of YUMMY, some not so good, and wasn't holding out for overly delicious donuts, especially not a glazed donut. While it is the most basic of donuts, I think it may be one of the hardest to get right. But YUMMY has done it. I gave the donut to John and he said it was one of the best ever. Seriously, EVER. It was light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth kind of good, like a warm Krispy Kreme only this one wasn't warm. Wow.

I selected a dozen donuts, no two the same flavor, but easily could have picked two full dozen. It was a challenge to narrow it down to only 12. Donuts in hand, I headed off to the airport. It was still dark and still pouring rain but already a bright day after a terrific visit to a donut shop.

On the ground in KC just 2 1/2 hours after buying donuts, it was time for donut tasting to begin. Em came over for an early lunch of donuts. We split donuts into halves, then quarters so more sharing could be done. Em quickly declared any donut topped with cookies a great thing. Another donut friend, Sheila, can't stop talking about the lemon donut. Lemon is a trick flavor according to Sheila. Some lemon treats taste like Pledge, some taste too sweet and artificial. Sheila declared YUMMY's lemon donut the perfect lemon sweet treat. I've been bringing lemon-y treats to Sheila for as long as I have known her (too many years) and have never heard her say any of them approached perfect. Go YUMMY!

While at YUMMY, I commented that their donuts were very pretty. I could tell they were decorated with lots of loving care. Each Oreo topped donut had a nice balance of cookie pieces on top. The Fruity Pebble topped donuts were evenly covered with sugar-y bites of cereal. The S'more donut had an even distribution of graham cracker crumbs across the top. The gal behind the counter told me they come in at 3 in the morning to finish decorating the donuts. She said it is time-consuming, but people seem to like it. She's right, or at least as far as this group of Midwestern donut tasters are concerned. We like what you are doing with donuts, YUMMY.

YUMMY donuts is located at 4355 Lovers Lane in Dallas, TX.

I am down to the final five donut adventures to complete my 52 Donuts journey. If you've got recommendations, send them my way in a hurry. I can't believe the year is almost over!

Week #46, Dunkin Donuts, St. Joseph, MO

Instead of the usual numbered post title, I should have called this post "The Donut That Started It All."

I grew up in a small town in Northwest Missouri. We didn't have a donut shop, not even a Casey's until I was in junior high. Donuts were a special treat. When we went to St. Joseph, we would stop at Dunkin Donuts at the corner of Frederick and the Belt. My entire life this particular donut shop has been a landmark.

My dad and I would sit at the counter and a lady in a pink dress with a white collar and patch pockets would come take our order. She would bring my dad a cup of coffee in a real diner mug and we would each get a donut. I always ordered the pink frosted donut with sprinkles. Sometimes I would get a fruit punch. I don't recall it being a super tasty beverage but I was fascinated by the clear tank that held the punch, the kind that constantly circulated the liquid, spraying a fountain of articially colored liquid against the walls of the transparent tank. I would spin on the stools at the counter, my dad would grumble at me to stop. I usually would stop spinning when bribed with a couple of munchkins (donut holes) to take home. There was something magic about Dunkin Donuts. Maybe it was all of the pink and orange, maybe it was the combination of pink frosting with sprinkles (I'm still a sucker for that combination). Maybe it was time spent with my dad...maybe all of those things combined to make me love donuts. Whatever it was, the St. Joseph Dunkin Donuts is the foundation of my love of donuts.

Recently Em and I went to the St. Joseph Dunkin Donuts. Unlike many small donut shops, DD has donuts all day and into the evening, so there was no morning rush. We headed out early in the afternoon but still found plenty of donuts to choose from. Em moved here from the Boston area and is accustomed to a DD being on every corner. When I first met Em, I think it took her all of 30 minutes to ask me if I knew of a DD closer than St. Joseph. We've since chatted numerous times about DD, our memories and the differences in how DD is perceived in the Midwest and the Northeast.

I picked one of those pink sprinkled numbers, a pumpkin cake and an apple filled spice donut to take home to John. Em got something I had never seen before, filled donut holes. That seems like a tedious job, filling donut holes. We both got fancy coffee drinks, far removed from the cup of black coffee my dad would have ordered. Em also got some sort of pumpkin muffin for later. You really can get everything pumpkin flavored at DD in the fall!

The counter at this DD is long gone, just a few tables are available for seating. We grabbed one and sat down to peruse our purchases. Within a few minutes, an older couple had sat down at the adjacent table. It was hard not to eavesdrop on their conversation and I heard the lady say a DD was soon opening in KC. I apologized for eavesdropping and asked if she could tell me where. She told me somewhere on 151st. She also shared with us that there used to be many DDs in KC. I didn't recall any, but was perhaps more familiar with St. Joseph. Her husband said he thought the DD had been in St. Joseph for 50 years or so. I can recall it being there for 30 years but was surprised to hear 50.

Em shared with me her childhood memories of DD, which included visits to the drive-thru. I have not been to a DD with a drive-thru. She recalled going with her dad and sister to the drive-thru and getting either one donut or two munchkins. After seeing a grandfather loudly haggle with his two whining grandsons while we were at DD, Em wondered if going to the drive-thru instead of inside the donut shop was a way to keep her and her sister from asking for more donuts or debating which ones to get. I can see the drive-thru assisting with parental control.

This was an enjoyable donut adventure, a trip down memory lane and a chance for me to really think about why I love donuts. It really has been all about the experience my whole life, not just about the donut. And it took me 46 weeks to figure that out!

As of today, Kansas City is the home of a brand new Dunkin Donuts. Today was their grand opening, complete with an appearance by George Brett. Em and I chatted about going but neither of us could find the time in our schedules. We joked about open our own DD, a major career change for both of us. You would think two hard-core donut girls would be the first in line at the grand opening, but we weren't. In fact, neither of us made it there on the first day. For me, I think my lack of excitement is in direct relation to our area's franchisee announcing plans to open another DD location just a few blocks from my favorite independent donut shop. It's all about the experience with me and I don't think we need a whole bunch of donut shops that offer the same plastic experience regardless of location. Now go on, go buy a donut this week from your local donut shop. It's sure to make the world a happier place.

Dunkin' Donuts in KC

For KC Donut fans, just wanted to share this link with you:

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1562009.html

I ventured out to Dunkin' Donuts in St. Joseph last week with Em and will write about it soon. Someone will have to tell me all about the new spot, since I don't want to visit the same chain twice this year.

Week #45, Denny's Donuts Normal/Bloomington, IL

I traveled to Normal, Illinois to participate in a scavenger hunt type race with friends. I asked all over town the day before the race for a donut shop recommendation and only one was ever mentioned, Denny's Donuts. One lady told me there was no other place to get a donut, end of story. Off to Denny's it was...

John and I went to Denny's around 7 in the morning. We chose the Denny's location in Bloomington and had no problem finding it. There is a large sign outside and the building is sizable. Two sides of the building were glass windows, so we could see inside and noticed they also had a small market with convenience store type items.

Inside Denny's, several large tables were filled with old guys drinking coffee and having donuts, telling war stories I'm sure. We didn't have to wait long to get donuts and when I told the lady behind the counter that we wanted eight donuts, she said we should get a box. I like it when the donuts are put in a box, not a bag, but always feel bad asking for a box unless I am buying a full dozen. It was nice of her to offer a box, or maybe she just cares about the donuts enough that she can't stand the thought of them being smashed in a bag. Yeah, that's probably what it was.

She pointed out to us that they had both pumpkin and apple cider donuts available. We went for both, along with an apple fritter and a chocolate long john. I asked what her favorite donut was and she said it was a Persian and the other lady behind the counter said she liked the filled Persian. We got both along with a couple of other donuts. As we were leaving, John commented that this was the first donut shop he had visited that had an automatic door. I wonder if the building was perhaps a supermarket in a past life?

We brought the box of donuts to the starting area of the race where we met up with four friends also from Kansas City. Our friend Paul was familiar with the Persian donut and explained that it is a coiled donut with cinnamon. I had never heard of this variety of donut and wonder if it is regional? Paul is a donut afficianado and shared stories of delivering papers with his dad when he was a kid and going to the donut shop afterwards. I love hearing people's tales of donuts. People rarely talk about donuts without smiling. Love that!

I imposed upon as many of our group as I could with the donuts, but still had a few left and offered them to another team of racers waiting nearby. They took one and told me that they love Denny's, not just because of the donuts but because Denny is a great guy who supports his local community. And then it was race time...two donuts remained and found a home with race volunteers who didn't quite share my enthusiasm for fried dough but I suspect they ate them anyway.

I was really happy to find a good, traditional donut shop on this trip. I've been stretching to find great place to go on this, the home stretch, of my donut journey. Denny's was definitely a great place.

Week #44, On the Rise Bakery, Osage Beach, MO

This month has been full of celebrations in honor of my hubby's milestone birthday. One of the celebrations included a trip to the Lake of the Ozarks for a few days at a friend's lake house.

Usually this time of year affords great fall foliage viewing at the lake. Instead, we were treated to several days of rain. Sometimes there was drizzle, but more often it was steady rain and flood warnings. There were plenty of opportunities to shop at the outlet mall, play skeeball and drive bumper cars, cook elaborate meals and enjoy the company of friends. On our last morning at the lake, we ventured out in a torrential downpour to On The Rise Bakery at our friend's suggestion.

On the Rise was warm and welcoming on a wet day. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a French farmhouse and the aroma of fresh pastries and coffee invited us in. Not many folks had braved the weather, seating was immediately available. We ordered breakfast (an omelet for me, famed Eggs Benedict in several varieties for everyone else) and beignets, served with a raspberry melba sauce that On the Rise is known for. Our last attempt at beignets was in Little Rock and they were not fried to order. This was a much better experience!

The beignets immediately brought to mind visits to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. The smell was similar and the dough had the same texture. No gluten for me, so I skipped the beignet but not the raspberry melba sauce. That sauce was delicious and I drizzled my fresh fruit with it. I think it would be good drizzled on about anything, maybe even cardboard. It was really tasty.

I really enjoyed breakfast at On the Rise and their beignets were a nice addition to my donut adventures. I hope to eat there again, maybe lunch on their patio on a sunny day. Or maybe just a quick trip in to get a few goodies from their bakery case...

Week #43, Ingredient, Leawood, KS

Recently I had an early lunch with a girlfriend at Ingredient in Leawood. I've had lunch and dinner there several times but had never tried breakfast. I don't think I was even aware they offered breakfast but for some reason, while ordering lunch their breakfast menu caught my eye. Donut holes with a wide variety of toppings were listed on the menu. While enjoying lunch, I saw donut holes being delivered to another table and they looked divine. A return trip to breakfast was in order!

John and I ran in a 5k on a cold Sunday morning. The race ended just across the way from Ingredient. We walked over to Ingredient from the finish line, hoping not to be judged by our attire long enough to order donut holes. Not to worry--several other runners followed course and soon there were six tables of racers having breakfast. Good thing, as not many other folks had ventured out on a chilly Sunday morning.

The list of donut hole toppings was more than a dozen deep. It was difficult choosing just two. John chose cinnamon apples and a caramel drizzle but did pause before ordering to ask the cashier what her favorite two toppings were. She suggested the same two toppings. We both ordered Huevos Rancheros, one in a burrito and one plain, to add a little nutritional value to the donut holes.

An order of donut holes is six and completely fills a very large bowl. Each donut hole is roughly the size of a baseball. They arrived with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a sizable quantity of cinnamon apples. They smelled like Autumn. John was able to eat just two of them in addition to his eggs. The remaining four were loaded into a box and brought home. Although these donut holes are sort of fritter-like, they reheated well for a late afternoon snack.

My breakfast was tasty, the accompanying potatoes were just right--slightly crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Not as good as a donut, but it worked. I would definitely have breakfast again at Ingredient, even if they didn't offer donut holes.

And speaking of the donut holes, can you imagine the size of the donut? Maybe these folks need to get together with the folks at Dat Donut.

Week #42, Dat Donut, Chicago, IL

Somewhere around 30 donut adventures ago, I tried to find a locally-owned, non-chain donut shop in Chicago. I failed. Dunkin' Donuts appeared on every street corner and I couldn't find a single donut worthy of an adventure.

In the 8 months since, I have seen Dat Donut in Chicago mentioned in several lists of the nation's top donut shops. I have seen no mention of the quality of the donuts, just the Big Dat Donut, a donut touted to be as big as your head. I really wanted to see such a donut!

On the way to Chicago, I encountered a college student who said she lived in South Chicago. It was my understanding Dat Donut was located in South Chicago so I asked if she had been there. She said she had never heard of it so I dug through my notes for the address. When I shared the address, the look on her face was one of disgust. She said, "Oh, that's not South Chicago. That's the ghetto. I live much further south." Well, now I knew for sure I had to check out Dat Donut.

John and I headed to Dat Donut around 8 in the morning. It was a cold morning, even by Chicago standards, and rain was threatening. The drive from downtown Chicago to Dat Donut was a quick one, maybe 15 minutes. What first struck me about Dat Donut was the parking, FREE parking. After paying $43 to park at the hotel, it was nice to park for free anywhere, but especially at a donut shop. The neighborhood was a little run down with occasional sprinklings of new construction and strip malls. Certainly not the scary ghetto I was expecting.

Dat Donut is in the same building as a BBQ restaurant, Leon's Bar-B-Que. Even though I am vegetarian, I love the smell of BBQ, but BBQ and donuts together? It was divine. And oddly enough, this is the second BBQ and donut establishment I have seen this year, the other in St. Petersburg, Florida. What's the connection between donuts and BBQ?

We waited behind just a couple of folks to get our donuts. The Big Dat really is as big as your head and it's only $2.59. John also got a couple of normal sized donuts, although he pointed out they were bigger than a Krispy Kreme. There were lots of donuts to admire in the case, including what initially looked like the typical twist, but instead it was more of a slip knot. In the short time it took for us to buy donuts, a line had formed. Dat Donut was hopping on a Saturday morning!

We headed out to the car with the intention of going toward the Art Institute of Chicago and having donuts within sight of the lake. We didn't make it out of the parking lot before the bag was ripped open so we could get a better look at the Big Dat. It's a serious donut. I guessed it was equivalent to about five donuts. I expected it to be unevenly cooked or somehow un-donut like on the inside, but it is instead a perfectly cooked donut biggie sized.

The cake donut John picked was quickly ranked as one of his favorites of the entire year. Even though I couldn't eat it, I did get to smell it and even though this annoyed John, I poked it a bit. It was the most moist cake donut I've seen yet! John said the donuts were not greasy at all, which is always a good thing since that makes eating more than one easy.

We brought the Big Dat back to KC with us for further investigation. It weighed 373 grams, or about 13 ounces. I'm not a mathematician, but I think that makes it about equivalent to 5 chocolate frosted Krispy Kreme donuts, roughly 1,400 calories. This is a donut to share with a friend or two...

Dat Donut is located at 8249 S. Cottage Grove, Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60619.