National Doughnut Day, always celebrated on the first day of
June.
Now whether you say Doughnut, Donut, Berliner, Krapfen,
Beignet or Monnki, prefer Ring, Filled, Topped, Fried, Oiled, the holes or just
the mixture itself we can all appreciate the sweet cakey goodness of a
Doughnut.
They are made and consumed in phenomenal levels worldwide,
they have been made famous by Homer Simpson and various brands such as Krispy
Kreme. Oh and for your information if you are ever in the States and you buy a
drink from Dunkin Donut’s make sure to grab your free one.
Yes.
Free Doughnut.
For years the general held truth was that doughnuts were
invented in the 19th century by Dutch settlers in America where a
sweet confectionary called oliekoek (oil cake) was popular.

Paul R Mullins, an anthropologist found the first cookbook
to mention doughnuts. It was found in an English volume published in 1803. In the
tome were a variety of doughnuts and by the mid-19th century
doughnuts began to look and taste like their modern day counterpart. They were
viewed as an American food.
A fourth theory on their origin came to light in 2013,
appearing to predate all previous claims, when a recipe for "dow
nuts" was found in a book of recipes and domestic tips written in 1800 by
the wife of Baron Thomas Dimsdale, the recipe being given to the dowager
Baroness by an acquaintance who transcribed for her the cooking instructions of
a local delicacy, the "Hertfordshire nut".
Four theories into the origin of the doughnut. In all
honesty if I could I’d claim discovery of this wonderful treat.
The word itself also brings along an interesting history the
word Doughtnut was dated in 1808 short story and featured in Washinton Irving’s
History of New York in 1809 however
the spelling Donut appeared in the 1900’s. A common folk tale is that the New
York Based ‘Display Doughnut Machine Corporation’ abbreviated the word to
remove the silent u, g and h. Their logic being if non-English speakers could
pronounce the word, they would be more likely to buy their products.
So why celebrate National Doughnut Day? Surely not to just
celebrate the food itself, well why not?? Interestingly there is a rather nice
history behind the day which focuses more on the people than the day itself.
During World War I, women volunteers of the Salvation Army made
doughnuts for the soldiers serving on the frontlines as a way to boost their
morale. In 1938 at the Chicago Branch of the Sally Army National Doughnut day
was born, it came to be in part as a way to raise funds for, and awareness of,
the group’s work in the community. The main spirit of the day however was the recognition
of the contribution women were making to the war effort.
The tradition begun by the Salvation Army’s dough girls or
dough lassies, as they were sometimes called, was picked up again by the Red
Cross during World War II, when LIFE dispatched a photographer to capture the
women in action. The women Bob Landry photographed were posted in England, one
of 72 similar outfits across the country. And the morale boost they brought was
not only a result of the treats they offered. As LIFE wrote of the volunteers,
“They are hand-picked for looks, education, personality and experience in
recreational fields. They are hardy physically and have a sociable, friendly
manner.” The dough lassies were greeted with howls of delight and chants of ‘Doughnuts
would win the war!’
So the doughnut, an object that’s bad for you? A flag to
rally behind or a humble cake? Regardless, they are loved world-wide and I am
glad there is a day to celebrate them.
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