Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

I stopped by Dunkin Donuts at the UNL library for some coffee to go with my meeting. That's when I heard the musical phrase, "Would you like a free donut with that?" The University of Nebraska interim president, as it turns out, has provided free donuts as a holiday treat. Thank you so much!

What visit to Canada would be complete without a visit to Tim Hortons. Tim sings the siren song of fried dough in every corner of this great country; who can resist? I made my visit in Canmore on the way into Banff National Park. My coffee and donut were, as always, satisfying and tasty. My sugar high perfectly complemented my Rocky Mountain high.

This video at my new YouTube channel shows my visit to a Mister Donut location in Tokyo. The audio is sometimes hard to understand---sorry about that---but you can catch a glimpse of both the excellent donuts and the curiously upscale service.

While on an afternoon walk through Dubliln, I spied this donut shop near the river. I of course had to taste Irish fried dough as part of my worldwide exploration. Rolling Donut offers a range of donut styles from classic to bacon. I didn't notice any cake donuts, though. I went with a classic raised with chocolate icing. It was delicate and moist with a tangy chocolate icing. The crumb wasn't overly sweet, which suits my taste. I enjoyed my donut as I enjoyed my city stroll.

Spudnuts were a childhood favorite. Making some of my own has been on my to-do list for awhile and I finally got to the task. I used this recipe from Taste of Home. Be forewarned, this recipe makes a lot of dough, equivalent to two loaves of bread. Unless you have a large crew to feed and are blissfully unconcerned about obesity or cardiac health, you might want to try a half recipe. Spudnuts make use of an old baking trick by adding mashed potatoes to make the dough moister. I substituted buttermilk for whole milk. I also added freshly ground nutmeg. I mixed the dough by hand to avoid making the donuts tough. I cut the donuts with my trusty cutter and into the oil they went. A few minutes later, I coated them with a glazed coating made of powdered sugar, water, and a little lemon. The donuts were certainly moister and with a denser, richer body than a regular donut. They didn't rise quite as much as I would have liked but overall this was a very successful exper...

I stopped by Pilgrim Kitchen for a refreshing treat. It is hidden away on the east side of El Camino, just over a hilltop making it easy to miss. The vibe is old fashioned, which I find very welcoming and grinding. The owner was very nice. They have a great selection of donuts. The buttermilk bar was tempting but I went away with an apple turnover. It was quite good: flaky pastry, fruity filling.

What better use for extra buttermilk than donuts? I used a recipe from the King Arthur cookbook. This is the mise en place---the recipe calls for rolling out the dough. Here are the admittedly inconsistent results of cutting out some donuts. Here they are in the oil. And here they are after a turn. Chopsticks make perfect tools for handling donuts. And here are the tasty results.

Stan's Donuts has been in Westwood near UCLA for 50 years. I had noticed it on earlier visits but never at a time of day conducive to donut consumption. An early morning constitutional gave me the perfect opportunity to try their wares. The shop is impressively small but that just adds to the atmosphere. I couldn't resist an apple fritter. It was delicious, soft and about as delicate as a piece of fried dough can be. It was sweet but not overpoweringly so; I could taste the apple. The coffee was relatively mild, which I think is exactly what is called for with a donut. An assertive coffee would detract from the fried goodness. Stan's coffee helps refresh the mouth for another bite.

I had assumed that my first post from Seattle would be some fancy seafood place. But opportunity occasionally presents itself and should not be avoided. As I walked along the monorail tracks, I spied Top Pot Doughnuts, a place I've seen on TV. How could I pass it up?> My server recommended the raised donuts as the tastiest. I went with a classic glazed and was not disappointed. This is a first-class example of the breed. The texture was perfect and nicely airy. Even in the afternoon, the donut was fresh, a tribute to their volume. Definitely a worthwhile stop.

I made a quick stop at Twisted Donuts & Café on Sugarloaf Parkway. The slightly unusual name accurately describes the menu. On the one hand, they have a large selection of donuts. On the other hand, they offer a full breakfast and lunch menu. That's a pretty unusual combination that makes some sense. They will bring you food to your table but bussing is up to you---a middle level of informality. I can't report on the food yet. I tried to order one donut hole but they aren't sold individually. I wasn't prepared to pony up the calories for a full donut. I settled for a cup of grits, which were good. I will have to come again to try more of their menu.

Hurts Donuts is located in downtown Lincoln in a stately building that belies the playful food inside. Hurts calling card is the wide variety of unusual and creative toppings for its donuts. Grad students need fuel, so we picked up a spread to sample. I always want to try both the raised and cake donuts---or at least that is my excuse---so I tried half of a Cookie Monster and half of a mint Oreo. Both were excellent without being overly sweet. I didn't get a chance to try their coffee. I guess I will have to save that for my next visit.

I'd like to give a quick shout-out to Mister Donut in Asia. Although based in Boston, Mister Donut has a huge presence in many parts of Asia. This shop was located in a fancy shopping center. Their donuts and coffee are both outstanding. In this small shop, patrons help themselves with the aid of tongs and trays. In larger shops, patrons who dine in can eat on nice china in a room that is noticeably more upscale than the U. S. donut experience. I haven't noticed those necklace-like donuts before; they must be molded somehow.

Today is Sublime Donut's eighth birthday. Happy birthday, everyone! Sublime makes some of the best donuts in the country. It's good to see them flourish.

Grant and Marie also introduced me to a bright spot on the Chattanooga map, Tasty Donuts. Their cases are filled with a large variety of donut varieties, ranging from Coca Cola to banana. Here are close-ups of a few of the donuts we sampled.

A morning appointment in Decatur allowed me to finally samples the wares at Revolution Donuts. It's in a gentle, quiet location near the East Point MARTA station. Inside, a cornucopia of donuts awaits. My donut selection came in a classic brown paper bag. That is the vanilla caramel donut raised donut on top; more await below. This is the famous/notorious bacon caramel raised donut. It was quite good and more subtle than you might think. The bacon added a robust umami flavor note but didn't overpower the basic donut experience. My favorite, however, was the buttermilk bar, a superb example of the species. The buttermilk came through clearly and was very well balanced with the glaze. And I love the buttermilk bar contrast of flavors: crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside. I'm sure that regulars of this column now expect me to compare Revolution to Sublime. Sorry, but I will dodge that quicksand pit. The freshness required of donuts makes them an extreme...

Sublime Donuts' new location in Toco Hill opened today! It's located at the corner of North Druid Hills and Briarcliff. The decor is modern and bright. Their new electronic signage is stunning. Those high-definition photos of donuts invoke a truly Homeric feeling. I ordered a double chocolate that didn't survive the short drive to the office. It was outstanding, just as good as the donuts from the home location. The icing was very chocolaty and a great treat. Hmmmmm....donuts...

The Internet sings the praises of Stan's and now I know why. The people who stand in line for these donuts love these outstanding donuts. Here is the donut maker practicing his craft in the front window of the shop. This is not Stan's first location. But Stan's dates back to the 1950's, as evidenced by the signs. The shop also features a comfortable counter well-worh with use. When trying a donut shop, I like to try both the raised and baked. My raised glazed donut had caught my eye as it sat on the cooling rack behind the register. As it turns out, it was hot, not just warm. Wow! Wonderful soft texture, glaze just barely hanging onto the side of the donut. What a treat. Truly spectacular. I saved the chocolate almond for later in the car. It was also wonderful with a soft, tender crumb and very fresh and tasty almond slices.

It's hard to ignore that sign, isn't it? "Doughnuts Bacon Coffee", the Holy Trinity of road warriors. Bon Glaze is located in a new strip development at a strategic intersection in north Brookhaven. Their menu also features Belgian waffles, a nice and local twist. And they have a drive-thru window, a brilliant choice. Here is my order. I was disappointed to find that they serve only coffee creamer, not cream, for their coffee. That decision is not consistent with their upscale image. The bacon is a very generous portion of five slices. It is thick cut and of high quality, though I didn't taste any of the promised smoke. I was also slightly disappointed to find it served at room temperature; even slightly warm would be homey. The donut glaze is rich and luscious. The donut itself was fine but not outstanding in terms of either texture or flavor. The bill for this meal was $10 and change. This is a fun meal but not the traditional cheap thrill that the ...

Donut Hut has been on Douglas for years. After a visit, I can see why it is well known. Here is the owner with the main assortment of donuts. They also have a case of fancy iced cakes and cupcakes plus another case filled with massive bear claws and sweet rolls. Here is my double chocolate and coffee. The donut was wonderfully tender. The glaze was perfect. I took my time to savor it with sips of coffee.

Randy's Donuts is a classic, known both for its iconic sign as well as for its impeccable donuts. It's located just off the 405 north of LAX---the giant donut is clearly visible from the highway. A donut makes a perfect post-flight salve. I kicked off this visit to LA with a devil's food donut and mocha iced coffee. The donut actually has icing on the other side---I was in too much of a hurry to enjoy it to flip it over for the photo. The iced coffee was a great complement. They made the rest of the day more enjoyable.