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Happy National Doughnut Day

 National Doughnut Day started in 1938 as a fund raiser for Chicago’s The Salvation Army. Their goal was to help those in need during the Great Depression, and to honor The Salvation Army “Lassies” of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers.

Today’s Donut Fact:

1. The donut or doughnut is a deep-fried piece of dough or batter. It comes from the Dutch origin of olykoeck or “oily cake”. The two most common types of donuts are the flattened sphere (you know…the ones that are injected with jelly or custard) and the ring donut.
2.  Internationally, Dunkin’ Donuts has over 1700 locations in 29 countries and over 6,000 stores in 30 countries world-wide! In the U.S. there are over 4,400 locations across 36 states.
3. Krispy Kreme is probably best known for their fresh, hot, glazed, yeast-raised doughnuts. The company’s “Hot Doughnuts Now” flashing sign is an integral part of the brands appeal and fame.
4.  Jelly-filled and Chocolate frosted also rank as their top sellers. Coconut Crunch, although not a number one seller, still remains one of the over 52 varieties of donuts the chain produces on a yearly basis.
5. Americans consume 10 billion doughnuts annually. It really is too big of a number when you consider that as of 1997, there were 6,792 doughnut shops in the U.S. alone. In 2005, I can only imagine that the number of doughnut shops has increased dramatically. Unfortunately, 1997 was the last year that all overall statistics and data is available on this subject (or at least that I can find!).

Today’s Food History

• 1519 Andrea Cesalpino was born. An Italian philosopher and pioneering botanist. He concentrated his studies on fruits and seeds, and he classified them by logical principles, instead of supposed medical properties.
• 1882 Henry Seely of New York City received the first American patent for an electric iron.
• 1899 James Ricks patented a rubber overshoe for horses.
• 1907 Persil, the first household detergent, was marketed by Henkel et Cie of Dusseldorf.
• 1932 The Revenue Act creates the first gasoline tax in the U.S. (1 cent per gallon).
• 1933 The first drive-in theater was opened in Camden, New Jersey by Richard Hollingshead. It had nine rows of parking on ten acres, with room for at least 400 cars. Where’s the popcorn!
• 1944 Edgar Froese of the music group ‘Tangerine Dream’ was born.
• 1988 Three 50 pound snapping turtles were found in a Bronx, New York sewage treatment plant. They had probably been pets that were flushed down the toilet when very small.