by Mary Eccher - page 1 of 2
The donut is a small cake, usually leavened with yeast or baking powder, fried in deep fat and then served hot or cold. It is a popular treat in Europe and the US. The traditional form is round with a hole in the center, but it may also be round with some jelly or creme at the center instead of a hole. Doughnuts may be served plain, but more often they are sprinkled with sugar, glazed or covered with flavored icings, spices or nuts.
Fried cakes are a truly ancient food. Archeologists have found the fossilized remains of what appear to be donuts in the kitchen middens of prehistoric Native American settlements. Modern doughnuts were supposedly introduced into Colonial America by the Dutch of New Amsterdam who called them olykoeks ("oily cakes"). The donut with a hole is said to have been developed in 1847 by a sea captain who loved donuts but found them indigestible. After some experimentation, he found doughnuts with the hole sat better on his stomach and attributed this to a more thorough cooking at the center.
It is not known whether the sea captain was an optimist or a pessimist, but his discovery opened the way for the following observation by American writer Mclandburgh Wilson:
Twixt optimist and pessimist
The difference is droll;
The optimist sees the donut,
The pessimist sees the hole.
"Time to Make the Donuts"
Mary Eccher gives us her 1/2 inch scale version, with variations, of the doughnut
SEPTEMBER 1986
Enlarged Photo
Handcrafted Collectible Dollhouse Scale Miniature Foods, Beverages and Accessories
IGMA ARTISAN
NAME ACADEMY of HONOR AWARD MEMBER
Member of CIMTA
I will celebrate your life for the rest of mine....
