National Doughnut Day
Have some coffee and a doughnut on #NationalDoughnutDay
5 November is one of two National Days that are celebrated annually by doughnut lovers across the world.
The history of the doughnut is disputed. One theory suggests Dutch settlers – also responsible for popularising other desserts such as cookies and apple pie in North America – invented them.
The other theory involves Hanson Gregory, an American, who claimed that he invented the ring-shaped doughnut in 1847, while he was aboard a lime trading ship. He was 16 years old at the time. According to his claim, he punched a hole in the centre of the dough using the ship’s tin pepper box and later taught the technique to his mother.
According to R Mullins, an anthropologist, the first cookbook to mention doughnuts was an 1803 English volume. The word was mentioned in an appendix of American recipes.
The earliest known recorded usage of the term ‘doughnut’ appears in a 1808 short story titled Fire Cakes and Dough-nuts.
A better-known ‘first’ written recording of the term occurred in 1809, when Washington Irving made a reference to it in his History of New York. He described the dish as balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat and called doughnuts.
The alternative spelling of the word – donut – was invented by the New York-based company called Display Doughnut Machine Corporation. It is said they abbreviated the word to ensure foreigners could pronounce it more easily, resulting in them buying the automated doughnut-making equipment.
Doughnuts are finished off with a variety of toppings, the most common being glazed, sugared, powdered, iced, cinnamon, jam and chocolate.
To celebrate today visit your favourite doughnut store and buy some delicious doughnuts for yourself or to share with friends and family. If you are feeling adventurous, look online for recipes and make your own.
Watch this video to learn how to make your own doughnuts:
Use #NationalDoughnutDay to post on social media.
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