“This is my favorite part!” The guy behind the counter places three marshmallows on the preparation table and lights up a blow torch.
Like a barista at a hipster coffee shop, he toasts the marshmallows with a kind of pride in his craft. They slowly start expanding, and every so often catch a small flame. He quickly puts it out with a wave of his hand.
It’s National Donut Day and we’re at a local gourmet donut and coffee shop. The inside is decorated how you’d expect with warm, dark wood on the floor and a cool palette wood facade on the front of the counter. There’s an old green chalkboard on the wall listing the large selection of donut flavors, toppings, and coffee.
“Whoooaaa!” Cece’s eyes light up as she watches the master donut maker play with fire. Her order is a chocolate-iced donut topped with graham cracker crumbs and toasted marshmallows. It’s a “fan favorite” called You’re killing me smalls.
“They’re getting so big and puffy!”
After our order is up, we sit and eat. Four different types of the biggest, most delicious gourmet donuts I’ve ever had. Cece can only finish about a third of it while I inhale my vanilla-glaze topped with strawberries and bananas. Corinne finishes hers with chocolate and coconut. Theo eats around the top with the vanilla icing and sprinkles.
I’ve definitely eaten too much, but it’s totally worth it.
Dan Hauk 