From our friends at Chicago Review Press...
The Donut Explores the Delicious International History of Fried Dough, Along with a Baker's Dozen Recipes
June 6 is National Donut Day
Whether it be jelly-filled, chocolate-covered or honey-dipped, the donut has a remarkable history dating back almost 2000 years. Recent trends (and Homer Simpson) have pushed donuts into the modern limelight, with specialty stores like Dunkin’ Donuts and Tim Hortons often more ubiquitous than post offices. The very existence of the Cronut—a half croissant, half donut concoction so desired and exclusive that it has a black market price up to $100 a pop—proves that the love of fried dough runs deep.
In The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin (Chicago Review Press, June 2014), culinary historian, chef and author of Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert Michael Krondl refreshingly and irreverently traces the origins of donuts through location, custom and flavor profile. Krondl illuminates the donut’s surprising role, not only as a traditional prelude to Lent, but in Hanukkah and Ramadan as well; the serving of donuts to American doughboys in the trenches of World War I; and the delivery by Red Cross Clubmobiles of essential comforts of home to World War II soldiers such as music, movies, magazines and—what else?—donut machines. Knowing that his vivid descriptions might have readers wanting more, Krondl also includes a baker’s dozen of tantalizing recipes (with full-color photos) for a variety of flavor fixes, from Italian Nutella Bomboloncini to Mexican Chocolate Churros.
The Donut presents its subject as the intersection of ordinary and indulgent, a delicious sample of multiculturalism made out of dough. “If there’s a better nominee for an edible symbol of the American dream, I’d like to taste it,” says Krondl. A fun-and flavor-loving tribute, The Donut is sure to appeal to the sweet tooth and enthusiasm of donut connoisseurs everywhere.
Event Information:
Saturday, June 7, 2014 @10:00 AM
Michael Krondl / “The Hole Truth: A History of the Doughnut”
$30/$25 members
The program ends with—what else?—a doughnut tasting
Complete info & tickets/Smithsonian website: http://ow.ly/vEhyn
Location: S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW
Metro: Smithsonian, Mall Exit (Blue/Orange)
About the Author:
Michael Krondl is a food historian, award-winning cooking instructor, food writer, and former chef. His writing credits include Gastronomica, Nation’s Restaurant News, New York Newsday and Saveur, as well as multiple contributions to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. He is the author of Around the American Table, The Great Little Pumpkin Cookbook, Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert and The Taste of Conquest. He lives in New York City.
