How did the donut get its hole? The actual history isn’t definitively clear, but there are a couple of realistic possibilities.
DONUT HOLE HISTORY
The earliest “doughnuts” actually didn’t have holes. Many believe Dutch settlers brought the first olykoek (“oil-ly cake”) to America when they landed in New Amsterdam (New York). These doughnuts were the same shape and size as our modern donuts, but they weren’t shaped like a ring.
The honor of “hole inventor” seems to land with Hanson Gregory, an American sailor. Gregory, who went to sea eating “whole doughnuts”, and returned with “holed donuts.”
- One legend says that he simply didn’t have a place to put his doughnut while steering the ship in the middle of a storm, so he stuck it on the spoke of the ship’s helm. When he pulled it off – a hole!
- A more realistic legend claims that Captain Gregory didn’t like the uncooked center of the primitive, unevenly fried doughnut, so he cut it out with a sailor’s blade. When his ship landed, he showed the solution to his mother who adopted the ring-shape and decorated the newly-shaped donut with sugar and spices.
Of course, today’s modern donut has been modified, decorated, and improved from those primitive beginnings. But the resulting “ring-shaped” donut is iconic, versatile, and delicious – with a hole on the side!
DONUT HOLE MARKETING
Do you have a mountain of donut holes on the bottom shelf of your display case? Many donut shops do, and there always seems to be extras at days end. Why not put them to work? Try this: in every bag or box of a regular donut purchase, “sneak” a small token of your appreciation by adding one glazed donut hole – free of charge! When your customer discovers this hidden gem, he or she will remember this extra bonus and make a mental note that your shop is special.
THE HOLE TRUTH
It’s a proud time to be in the baking industry and support the health and well-being of our customers during the current Covid-19 crisis. Talk to your BakeMark Representative about point-of-sale materials that convey your store’s ability to safely deliver fresh product throughout the day. Always remember: BakeMark is here to help!
