MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — They are the thing that help millions get going in the morning. Maybe only coffee is more synonymous with sunrise than the classic donut. The savory treat gets its day to shine this Friday, it’s National Donut Day!
Whether glazed, powdered, sugared, or plain cake batter, nothing tastes better than a bite into a fresh donut at the local bakery. Humans have been frying batter since the time of the ancient Egyptians, if not longer. Arabic recipes date back to the Middle Ages. The Dutch are believed to have introduced donuts to America, selling them in what was then New Amsterdam, which would become New York City. Washington Irving described the Dutch pastries as “balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called doughnuts, or olykoeks”
There was a problem with the dough balls, though. Before the modern oven, it was a guess as to whether the centers were fully cooked. To compensate, bakers would add nuts or fruit in the middle. The issue was solved in the 1800’s right here in the United States. Captain Hanson Gregory is widely considered the first to give donuts their ring shape. He told the Washington Post in an interview that he initially used a tin pepper can to cut the hole. Later, he would have a custom part ordered from a local tinsmith in Maine. Soon, the technique was being adopted by cooks and bakers up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Donuts went from diamond shaped and twists to ring-shaped in the blink of an eye, and the rest was history.
Here in town, Daylight Donuts is running a special to tie into the most scrumptious of food holidays. Donuts are 2 for $1.50. Rolls are $1.50 each. Daylight Donuts is located at 900 N. Main Street in Mitchell.