You may love eating donuts but how much do you actually know about them? Today we’ll explore the history of the doughnut for your reading pleasure.
Rudimentary Beginnings
Doughnuts have actually been around in some form or another for centuries, unearthed by archaeologists who are still uncovering fossilized bits of doughnut-like substances in prehistoric Native American settlements. But the donut we know today arrived in Manhattan much later (still called New Amsterdam) with the Dutch name of olykoeks, which translates to “oily cakes,” according to the Smithsonian Magazine.
Then, in the mid-19th century, a New England captain’s mother by the name of Elizabeth Gregory baked deep-fried dough using nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon rind to provide sustenance for her son and the rest of the crew on long journeys. She placed hazelnuts or walnuts in the middle and fittingly named them doughnuts.
World War I and Beyond
During World War I, millions of doughnuts were served in the trenches of France by female volunteers who wanted to give the hard-working soldiers a taste of home.
The first doughnut machine wasn’t invented here till 1920 in New York City. A Russian refugee named Adolph Levitt started selling fried doughnuts from his local bakery, to the delight of hungry theater goers. This demand for more donuts led him to create a gadget that could churn out these yummy baked goods faster.
Once World War II hit, doughnuts made another appearance on the front lines. Red Cross women known as Doughnut Dollies passed them out to soldiers.
Modern Roots
From there, it was realized that doughnuts could be a commercial success. That’s when Krispy Kreme stores started popping up in late 1950s in 12 states, along with their competition: Dunkin’ Donuts, which started out in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950. The rest, as they say, is history. American’s love for the doughnut is time tested and a part of our very fabric!
Pick Up Fresh Doughnuts at Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
Ready to bite into some fresh doughnuts? Come by the bakery at Robinette’s in Grand Rapids to grab your favorite. Did you know our doughnut machine can make 200 dozen doughnuts per hour? For more information, call us at (800) 400-8100 today.
