Friday, July 23, 2010

A philosophical post...and remembrance.

As you wander through life brother,
whatever be your goal;
keep your eye upon the donut,
and not upon the hole.




Speaking of donut shops, as the featured commenter in the last post here so un-eloquently spoke. And given that she has declared that only foreigners now own donut shops in America...because as she surmises, only foreign, un-American types can get loans to start donut shops. I mean, holy shit, what is more American than a donut? OK, OK, Mr. Charleston...you are going to say hot dogs. The lady was not talking about hot dogs. She brought up DOferkingNUTS. OK?

At any rate, it reminded me of a donut shop my grandfather sometimes took me to in the wee early hours of the morning before school when I was a little guy, about 7 or so.

I can almost smell and taste the fresh donuts from that place. I can certainly remember watching them being made on the other side of the counter at which we sat. Dough with holes on some sort of conveyor belt, plopping into the deep fryer. No wheatgerm, all bran, bullshit anything...WHITE dough. When you got your donut, my God it was heaven. Almost too hot to eat, you had to let it cool for a while. These weren't ferking cold Kryspy Kreme common denominator type donuts...no sir. Fresh, hot and sweet.

I can still picture my grandfather dipping his donut into his coffee. He didn't sweeten the coffee, because the donut did it for him I suppose. I'm not sure...he never said. I picked up that habit from my grandfather in later years when I would have a donut (I also picked up my grandfather's love of...beer...another post, methinks).

The thing I most remember from this donut shop was the large sign over the counter...which I posted above. And believe it or not, when I have trouble staying focused on a particular problem, I always remember this saying. Strange isn't it? Only seven or so, and this dumb thing has gotten me through many uncertain moments in my life. Maybe those donut makers knew a thing or two that had nothing to do with donuts. And I would be willing to bet that their antecedents were not originally from here. Just saying.

By the way, I don't eat donuts any longer...my old plumbing just won't allow it. OK, maybe now and then, but don't tell my wife.

45 comments:

Sue said...

JJ, If I was on death row and asked what I would want for my last meal I would say DONUTS!!! There is nothing like a donut and NOTHING compares to the smell of a bakery, it's better than an orgasm I must admit here and now...

I don't allow myself to indulge, maybe one every 6 months, isn't that sad when we must put weight issues before the delicacy of donuts??

When I was maybe 4 or 5 yrs old, sitting around the table with my family eating donuts, I asked my dad, "can you eat the donut hole?" Everyone thought that was profound for a wee little girl to ask such a question!

Doug said...

I have to have at least 2 donuts per week. Hey, Tim Hortons is on every other corner and I just can't drive by them all...

Harlequin said...

ah, well, the donut is a banquet with consequences. too bad. Not my preferred treat, but nothing beats one for looks and smell.... I am also in the land of Tim Horton's and it's hard NOT to see one.

as a Kid I don't remember going out to buy much, but my grandmother could make the best homemade raisin bread.... had that hot spicy yummy sweet soft tastetexturesmell.... hard to separate them since the experience was so blended.
thanks for a sweet remember when.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

My Grandma used to make real donuts too, frying them in a pot of hot fat, then rolling them in a bit of sugar. She would make the donut holes just for me. And it's true -- in those days, everyone dunked their donuts in coffee. Haven't seen that for a million years -- today's donuts are too sugar-coated and flimsy for that!

jadedj said...

Later, as in tomorrow, all.

Punch said...

Moments with grandparents can be amoung the sweetest, regardless fo the donut or the whole.

PENolan said...

When I was in Girl Scouts, we made doughnuts at camp from canned biscuit dough. There weren't any holes on account of we poked our fingers through the biscuit and spun it around to make a hole. Plopped it into the oil (I'll bet it was melted Crisco) and then into a brown paper bag filled with powdered sugar and shook it like crazy. Sometimes we used brown sugar and cinnamon. We also cored apples, filled them full of red hots, wrapped them in foil and cooked them right in the camp fire.

intelliwench said...

Intellikid and I have long thought that pastry is a viable therapeutic tool.

jadedj said...

Sue---Whoa, now wait a minute...better than an o****m? I want the recipe for those donuts!

Doug---I admit I had to Google Tony Horton. I thought it sounded kinda strange for a donut shop. Duh JJ. I'd have to visit Tony's every day, for several hours, to counter my sweet tooth bad habits.

Harlequin---I love that donut = banquet connection!

Grandparents are great, aren't they?

Debra SWS---Oh God yes...fried in fat, fat, fat Criscoooooooo. Those were the days of no fatty tomorrows. My grandmother had a can of Crisco, lard, whatever, she would dip into and plop in a fryer for everything.

You are right...today's donuts are wussies.

Punch---They are indeed.

Trcia---This method sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen it. I've not heard of the apple technique, however.

intell---A self reward system of it's own, methinks.

Punch said...

I must return and say to Ms. Sue. (ahem) I have had orgasims after eating but never a donut.

Punch said...

JJ, BTW, congrats on the new award, Mr. Johnson of Sunshine. It just dawned on me that the above comment might just be one of the reasons PenOLAN took me off the 'possible award candidate list'.

jadedj said...

Punch---Thanks. I cannot speak for Tricia, but I suspect it was the "incident" that did it.

Mr. Charleston said...

There used to be a Kryspy Kreme over on Edgewood Ave. that served fresh hot donuts. Damn they were good. Used to stop there in the morning anytime I was near the place. Long before you could buy them boxed in the store.

And now to the crux of the problem. Dang! All these years I thought you were supposed to keep your eye on the hole! The pursuit of same sure has gotten me into a lot of trouble.

Punch said...

They told me that was to be expunged. I have not been near Cheez Whiz in over 17 years now.

jadedj said...

Mr. Chas---I suppose someone had to say it. I thought it was going to be Punch, but...

Punch---Once again I have to ask the million dollar question...wtf are you talking about?

yellowdoggranny said...

holy shit!..I'm not only going to have nightmares after that picture..I may not ever be able to eat a doughnut again.

Punch said...

Guess you had to be there. I suppose it was the 'other' indident of which you spoke.
It's ok YellowDog G. donuts ain't what they used to be.
BTW...That there dog Mr. C woke up? I left 'em asleeping hand moved on to remember fond times with my granddaddy.
OH, and That Kryspy Kream calender they put out a while back, hit made me forget all about holes and donuts.

jadedj said...

YDG---Har har har har har har har har. Here's looking at you.

Punch---I spoke? Eye agree about the donuts.
Sometimes I think it would be very nice if I actually knew what you are talking about.

Chimp said...

That saying about keeping your eye on the donut, not the hole is how the donut hole was probably invented. A way of having some donut but not too much, unless you eat a whole box of holes.

I did wonder if the donut was made with the hole in it or if it was cut out of the dough. The hole was always there, I understand.

Also wondered what came first, the donut or the bagel. I know there has been intermarriage between the two as the blueberry bagels taste pretty good. I don't know how the zionists allowed this union.

Unknown said...

Damn!! Thumbs in chili, eyeballs in cream cheese. What's going on in America. Gotta watch everything you eat these days. Pffft.

jadedj said...

Chimp---That's a hole lot of information to absorb.

A bagel by any other name is a donut?

boomer bob---Best watch your food...or it will watch you...har har har har har.

Unknown said...

I think this must have been an Eye-instein bagel

jadedj said...

boomer---Har! Well, it was about a "relative" of mine.

jadedj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chimp said...

Crummy jokes!

jadedj said...

Chimp---Hey...they're free...no dough involved.

Punch said...

Crummy Jokes!!

jadedj said...

Punch---Hey...they're free...no dough involved..

Unknown said...

I'm wondering if they mean "crumby jokes" :-)

jadedj said...

boomer---They are of that quality.

longge---It's nice to have a friend...even if it is an imaginary one.

Chimp said...

They claim that Synonyms for donut include annulus (remind you of an A hole?), halo (religious donut?), sinker (That's how it hit in my stomach?), anchor ring (???).

Chimp said...

Yes, CRUMBY!

Beekeepers Apprentice said...

I was going to ask if they were krispy kremes...then I read that they were not. I live in the land of Krispy Kreme...and I can't stand the f'ing things. It's Dunkin' Donuts for me! For years, there wasn't a Dunkin' anywhere to be found here...they were all on Northern Virginia. Now, there is one less than 2 miles away. They are a bad habit, but one I find difficult to break.

jadedj said...

Chimp and Beekeeper---sorry, not ignoring you, just doing something else right now. I'll be back to comment on your comments in a bit :-)

Punch said...

It'ssstil a crummy joke.
Even wearing Louboutin Pumps.
That is a lot of donuts. Yeah Buddy.

jadedj said...

Chimp---Har har har.

Beekeeper---No chain donuts in this place...which of course does not exist any longer. It was a mom and pop operation. I'm not sure I've ever had a Dunkin' Donut.

Oh, and hey...thanks for stopping by an commenting...I really appreciate it.

Punch---And despite the pump thing, we'll stiletto you comment over here.

Tom Harper said...

The donut -- what's not to like? Sugar, grease, white flour; it's got 3 of the basic food groups right there. If only they could make one with beef or pork, we'd have a complete meal.

I haven't been to a Dunkin' Donuts for a long time -- I don't think this part of the country has them -- but their coffee is excellent. At least it used to be; maybe they've watered it down like everybody else has.

madmike said...

I haven't eaten at a Dunkin Donut for years. It might have something to do with the fact there are none for miles and miles :-) Great post. I'm glad I stopped by.

jadedj said...

Tom---A little ground sirloin in the hole, perhaps.

Most likely correct about the water down. Gotta keep that bottom line under control.

madmike---Well, after so many have commented on Dunkin Donuts, I'll have to see if I can find one...for the coffee of course. Thanks for coming by. I'm glad you had a good experience :-)

Punch said...

Crummy Puns.

jadedj said...

Pun(ch)---

Unknown said...

"Ground" sirloin?? Daum, that'd hurt

jadedj said...

boomer bob----It hurts only when you laugh.

Holte Ender said...

Are all the donuts gone?

jadedj said...

Holte---Just the holes. Disappeared.