Skip to main content

For Find Out Friday - Is it Doughnut or Donut?

 



Is it “doughnut” or “donut”?


I know this seems like something I should have learned in the third grade but apparently my elementary school teachers failed me. 


As a food blogger, I constantly seem to stumble upon this dilemma so I decided to learn the difference once and for all. I have allotted some time today in case I have a lot of blogs to update. Also I am about to post yet another blog about these circular, fried, and sometimes jelly filled delicious treats. 


      Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop 



Apparently the reason I am confused in the first place it because of my British roots. 


My ancestors were from Italy and Ireland, but as an American Revolutionary War buff, I have always felt I had a bit of British in my blood. 


As I begun to research this spelling conundrum, the first result made perfect sense. 


The word “doughnut” is the proper U.K. spelling; while “donut” is the Americanized version. 


This reminds me of similar Americanisms such as colour versus color, flavour versus flavor, and humour versus humor. You get the idea. 


But which spelling is actually correct?


The short answer is both. 


The original spelling of “doughnut” is the literal term for what we are eating. It is made from dough (that is then fried). The “nut” refers to the small ball or lump shaped dough. Originally this dessert was called “dough boy”.


Doughnut, being the most historically accurate spelling, will never get flagged by spell check software. But if you pick up an American dictionary both spellings will appear, only furthering my frustration on the topic. 


The spelling of “doughnut” in public works dates back to the 1800s. The Oxford English Dictionary lists Washington Irving’s reference to doughnuts in his 1809 “History of New York” as the first published use of the word.


The word “donut” can be found as early as the late 1800s. However, that does not mean it was common at that time. It wasn’t until brands such as “Mister Donut” and of course “Dunkin Donuts” came about that we began regularly seeing this spelling. “Dunkin Donuts” was created by William Rosenberg in 1950. Ironically as of January 2019 there was a rebranding with that company now simply changing their name to “Dunkin”. 


Donut now appears about a third of the time in American (published) writing. Another common theory about why that is, is due to the large immigrant experience in America. Simplified spelling and phonetic-based spelling was pioneered by Benjamin Franklin and Noah Webster (yes that Webster) to help foreigners and native speakers alike. 


Further complicating the matter is the celebration of National Doughnut Day.


Below are a few key facts about this unofficial holiday. 


  • National Doughnut Day is celebrated the first Friday of June.
  • There is no “official” spelling for that day, so you will find both variations.
  • Originally celebrated as far back as 1938.
  • Started as a campaign by the Salvation Army in Chicago, as a way to honor their members who served doughnuts to soldiers during WWI.
  • At that time, approximately two hundred and fifty SA volunteers went to France to provide fresh baked goods for Allied troops. 
  • Doughnuts were the easiest to make under those conditions and were very popular with the soldiers. 
  • Women volunteers were known as “Doughnut Dollies”.


Naturally with social media, holidays such as these have only gained in popularity with free goods being given out by popular chains and bakeries. 


While I have learned a great deal about doughnuts and donuts alike, this doesn’t seem to simplify my problem. I do, however, feel much more comfortable having asked the question. Considering how many blogs and posts I found on the subject, I now know mine is in good company. 


I think that going forward I will continue my best practice of using the restaurant or bakery’s preferred spelling and when all else fails defer back to my English ancestors liking of “doughnut”.


The best part is that no matter how you spell it, once you find a delicious one, the memory will last a lifetime. Or at least until you purchase another. 


For More Information:


https://bit.ly/3jMEY4K


https://bit.ly/2HTtJup


https://bit.ly/2GewnKt


https://bit.ly/3kKY10O


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

For Find Out Friday - Why Do Emery Boards Make My Skin Crawl?

You know that sound a fingernail makes when it scratches against a chalkboard?  You know that feeling the sound of that action gives you? I, like most people, hate that sound.  I instantly feel like scrunching my shoulders up to my neck and closing my eyes.  I feel the exact same way when I am using an emery board to file my nails. This annoying sensation has a name: “grima” which is Spanish for disgust or uneasiness. This term basically describes any feeling of being displeased, annoyed, or dissatisfied someone or something.  It is a feeling that psychologists are starting to pay more attention to as it relates to our other emotions.  Emery boards are traditionally made with cardboard that has small grains of sand adhered to them. It is the sandpaper that I believe makes me filled with grima.  According to studies that are being done around the world, it is not just the feeling that we associate with certain things like nails on a chalkboard or by using emery boards

For Find Out Friday - How Do You Milk An Almond?

Despite my affinity for cheese and other dairy products, occasionally (actually a few times a week) I like to go dairy-free.  During those times I rely heavily on my favorite brand of almond milk, as seen in the picture above.  Though I know there is no dairy in this product, I constantly wonder: “how does one milk an almond”? Logically I am aware that no actually “milking” is taking place.  I also know that almond milk can be made at home, although I have zero interest in attempting to make it despite my love of spending time in my kitchen. So, what is the actual process?  How long does it take?  When / where / who was the first to successful develop this product? When talking about this kind of “milk” what we are really talking about is plant juices that resemble and can be used in the same ways as dairy milk. Plant like juice has been described as milk since about 1200 A.D. The first mentions can be found in a Baghdadi cookbook in the thirteenth

For a Doughnut Worthy of Food Network Glory: “Dun-Well Doughnuts”

All because I wanted a Boston creme doughnut. That is how this blog truly began. It was Father’s Day weekend and although I was initially thinking of myself, I knew my father wouldn’t mind having a sweet treat for dessert. Brooklyn is synonymous with great pizza, bread, and of course bagels. But it also has many great bakeries producing some of the most delicious doughnuts you have ever tasted. Just to name a few, there is: Doughnut Plant , Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop and Dough .   On the day of my craving, I did what any of us do countless times a day - I opened Google. When I Googled “best Boston creme doughnuts in Brooklyn” Dun-Well Doughnuts appeared high on that list. Intrigued I researched it further and learned that it had won the Canadian  Food Network’s contest called “Donut Showdown” in 2013. That was enough information for me to decide to visit the very next day.  Dun-Well Doughnuts was opened by Dan Dunbar and Christopher Hollowell in December 2011. Despite