Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Mmmm... Donuts!

Not.

Another difference between Canada and NC: donuts.

Down here they have this phenomenom called "Krispy Kreme". Note: the spelling should warn you. These things are sickenly sweet, but many Americans flock to the "hot donuts now" signs. (At least, they did before the Atkins craze. Now they merely yearn for them.) I can only surmise they taste better than Twinkies. (I've never been brave enough to sample a Twinkie.)

So, after living here for a bit, I decided I had to taste these "Krispy Kremes". I did. I did not enjoy it. When my mom came to visit, she had heard about them, and had to try them. She said "do you want to split one?" and I said "um, sure". Mom didn't like them either. I regretted the half that I ate.

What brings this topic up? I just walked past the microwave, where someone had set out free Krispy Kremes. I did not take one. You can tell what I think of them, from the fact that I declined free food.

I actually do enjoy donuts in Canada. I like the yeast donuts with the chocolate frosting (particularly the ones from Superstore), and the chocolate cake donuts too. I think my conclusion is that the donuts down here have too much sugar, and not enough chocolate. Although the powder sugar donuts are better in Canada too...

11 comments:

pfirsch said...

It's a bit sad to hear that you dislike NC donuts, but I guess "to each, his own." I feel the same way about a lot of German pastries and desserts, but in the opposite direction--they're not sweet enough.

Some Krispy Kreme donuts would be REALLY good right about now...

I must add that my favorites are, in fact, cake donuts. Chocolate with sugar icing (basic sugar syrup that's hardened) or just the plain cake donuts.

I know, I know. I'm contradicting myself. If you can deal with that, we can still be friends.

Anonymous said...

I never much cared for the Krispy Kreme's either. Plus the fact that they can't spell correctly drives me up the wall!

We have them down here now, too. Krispy Kreme and CVS both followed me back to Texas.

I prefer your common grocery store variety yeast glazed doughnut myself. Plain cake doughnuts are a close second.

Jewels said...

mmmmmm Timbits are good. What are Dunkin Donuts like? I think they're only in USA?

noricum said...

Well, I was going to spell them doughnuts, but the Homer Simpson reference really needed the American spelling (can you imagine Homer trying to spell doughnuts?), and I didn't feel like changing spellings half way through the post. ;)

Strangely, I'm not sure I've had Tim Horton's doughnuts... we've always been a Robins family, except when in Flin Flon, where we'd get them at the local bakery. Of course, we rarely bought doughnuts... given how many calories they have, and the fact you have to eat them fresh or they get nasty. My brother's a fan of the honey glazed, though. ;)

Josie... I'd offer to mail you a couple, but they'd be pretty nasty by the time they made it over there. :P (And of course we can still be friends... just as long as you don't try to make me eat Krispy Kremes!)

Paulina: I can't comment on the grocery store doughnuts down here... the ones in Harris Teeter are Krispy Kremes. :P

Wow... this is a popular post!

Jewels: I've never had Dunkin Donuts... I have yet to spot one down here in Krispy Kreme Land. Of course, one could just be hiding in all these trees... (They like to disguise their fast food joints and malls around here.)

Anonymous said...

I don't remember seeing Dunkin Donuts when I was in NC, which doesn't mean they weren't there. They are down here in Texas though. Used to get the big boxes of donut holes when I was growing up. :)

noricum said...

Does Dunkin Donuts have a cool name for it's doughnut holes? Robin's calls them robin's eggs, and Tim Horton's calls them Timbits. (Urban legend has it that Tim Horton's started selling Timbits after Tim Horton got in a car accident.)

I had another thought... is "donut" actually considered correct spelling in the US, or is it a generally accepted misspelling, like "creme" (for non-cream-containing products). The impression I got in elementary school is that "donut" is the "lazy spelling" of "doughnut".

Anonymous said...

You know, I think "donut" and "doughnut" are both acceptable down here; at least, I tend to use them interchangeably. Of course, I also frequently tend to use British spellings in preference to American spellings, so it could just be me. The spelling I really abhor is "do-nut", though. That's what Shipley uses.

The only dictionary I have access to here in my office is the OED online, and I doubt that will help much with American spelling ;) I'll try to remember to check my American dictionary at home tonight, but odds are good I'll forget.

Hrmm, just checked the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition online at http://www.dictionary.com, and it looks their like "doughnut" is the preferred spelling. "Donut" is considering a variation.

Anonymous said...

Ugh...that should have been "there" not "their". :P

Forgot to answer the Dunkin Donuts question -- and the answer is I don't remember them having any special name for the donut holes.

noricum said...

Thanks, Paulina. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm reading a book called "Timbit Nation" right now, by a Globe & Mail journalist who hitchhiked across Canada. In it he explains that "Tim Bits" were actually invented by Tom Horton's. Obviously, as long as there have been doughnuts, there have been doughnut holes, but it was TH's that first marketed them.

As for when this happened, I don't think it had anything to do with the car accident - which, by the way, claimed his life. Oh the joys of drunk driving.

Hrm. Im beginning to think I know way too much about Tim Horton's LOL

Kelly
www.marmalade.ca

Trish said...

I had to jump in on this topic. I live in Mass, the land of Dunkin Donuts. We have one every mile at least. Krispy Kremes just recently made their appearances in supermarkets and convenience stores and sell out like crazy. I'm a BIG fan when I have a craving, which thankfully isn't often.

Dunk's calls their donut holes....MUNCHKINS :)

My favorite donuts, boston creme, french cruller, and vanilla or chcolate filled :)

OK, now I'm hungry :)