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Layla Jioussy

Do you like donuts? Well I do, and in this post, I am going to be telling you all about them. I will tell you about their history, some facts about donuts and some other topics about this delicious treat.

Let’s start off with the history of donuts.

It is challenging to determine the exact origin of the donut since nearly every culture has its own version of a fried dough pastry. In the United States, the roots of the donut can be traced back to the 1700s when Dutch settlers introduced the “olykoek,” also known as the “oil cake,” which can be considered as the lead up to the modern donut. References to donuts in American culinary literature can be found in English cookbooks during the early 19th century.

However, donuts didn’t take off until World War I, when Donut Lassies, Salvation Army women volunteers who wanted to give homesick American troops in France a taste of home, gave them doughnuts in the trenches. These troops had a need for more doughnuts when they got home from World War I, and the business took off.

Now let me tell you 6 facts about donuts and their explanations:

1. Americans consume over 10 billion donuts a year. Explanation: The average american eats at least 63 donuts a year and the reason for this is that, donuts are high in carbohydrates, so after finishing one, you feel instantly energized. Donuts’ high sugar content makes you feel energised and revived, and their delicate flavor lingers on your tongue.
2. Cops love donuts. Explanation: Doughnuts were one of the only late-night alternatives available to police officers working the graveyard shift in the late 1940s and early 1950s, before 24-hour fast food and convenience stores were introduced. Also, they were a convenient snack that many people could grab when they needed it. A location where people might complete some work outside of the workplace for others. In general, donuts and the donut shop provide social and emotional support for those who work tirelessly to keep us secure.
3. A ship captian invented donut holes. Explanation: Hanson Gregory, a young American sailor, invented the donut’s hole in 1847 while on a ship. He didn’t like how the donuts were greasy and doughy in the center while the outside was crispy. Gregory came up with the idea of putting a hole in the middle of the donuts to cook them evenly. This makes sense because when donuts are fried, the outside cooks quickly due to the hot oil, but the inside takes longer, resulting in burnt outsides. Creating a hole in the dough allows for even cooking and perfect donuts.
4. Donuts were used as comfort food during World Wars. Explanation: Two volunteers, Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance, started frying donuts in soldiers’ helmets after realizing that distributing baked goods would be challenging given the shelters’ poor conditions and the resources they had available. These delicious sweets raised spirits and gained the affection of many warriors.
5. Donuts help you get in character. Explanation: Eating a donut in character helps you embody traits, affecting your body language and interactions. Donuts engage your senses, evoking memories and emotions that deepen your connection to the character. Incorporating donuts in the character’s story adds depth and symbolism, representing themes like comfort or indulgence and enhancing your performance.
6. Donuts were once called “oily cakes.” Explanation: Donuts, initially known as “olykoeks” or oily cakes, originated in the Netherlands and were simple balls of sweet dough fried in oil for special occasions. However, when they arrived in America, they underwent a significant transformation to become the beloved treats we know today. From humble beginnings as fried dough, donuts have evolved into one of the most popular desserts.

What do you think about donuts now? Has your mind changed about these small, fried, sweetened dough cakes, typically shaped into a ring or ball. Well, i hope you enjoyed this post!