Musings On My Fave Treat

There are proponents of many kinds of pastries: quick breads, cakes, cookies, pies and the like. But I am here to make a stand for the greatest pastry treat known in the Western Hemisphere if not the greatest pastry known to all of God's Children - the donut (or doughnut if you like). However you spell it, the donut should be vaunted for it's versatility. It can be round, rectangular, braided, tied in knots, jelly, jam, custard or creme filled, powdered, glazed, sugar-coated or maple-dipped. They can be intermixed with your favorite fruity bits ala apple fritter. They can satisfy a large appetite ala a bear claw. Looking for a tasty donut but the regular round ones are too much to handle with your delicate fingers? Donut holes to the rescue.

Where did the donut come from you ask? Captain Hanson Crockett Gregory was the inventor of the donut with a hole in the middle. William Rosenberg, the food-franchising pioneer founded the Dunkin' Donuts chain. Rosenberg opened his first coffee and doughnut shop, called the Open Kettle, in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1948. The name was changed to Dunkin' Donuts in 1950.
According to "Donuts and the Salvation Army" - While The Army may not have invented the first donut, it can certainly take credit for [helping] the popularity of donuts today. June 4-5 marks the 61st anniversary of Salvation Army 'Donut Day" In Chicago. The tag day was established in 1938 to honor the work of World War I Salvation Army 'lassies' who prepared donuts for thousands of soldiers in World War I.

How can you make your own delicious donuts at home?

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. shortening (Crisco, to the layperson)
• 2/3 C. sugar
• 2/3 C. milk (I like 2%)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tsp. grated nutmeg
• 3/4 Tsp. salt
• 3 C. flour
• 5 Tsp. baking powder
• Powdered sugar (for dusting your 'nuts)

Cooking Instructions

• Cream the shortening & sugar
• Add the beaten egg
• Stir in the milk
• Add nutmeg, salt, flour & baking powder
• Make a dough stiff enough to be rolled
• Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch
• Cut out with a donut cutter
• Deep fry in hot fat/oil
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar

This recipe is one I got from my Grandmother. She used to work in a machine shop that made airplane parts during WW2. Food rationing during that time was so bad that donuts were about all she could afford to buy the ingredients for. She and her friend Muriel used to make them at home and sell them to the other factory workers to get money for luxury items. Pretty sweet, right? Enjoy a donut today, for tomorrow, you may get hit by a bus and have you jaw wired shut.