Seattle Met Taste Test: Doughnuts
What makes for a winning doughnut? We ate our way through 17 varieties to find out.
By Hilary Meyerson Published Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 1:02pm
Last week, Seattle Met’s panel of tasters frittered away an afternoon sampling fritters, maple bars, old fashioneds, and new-fashioned flavors from eight bakeries—including big-name chains, mom and pops, and a few up-and-comers. Each bakery submitted the two varieties (well, one cheated and brought three) that best represented its style.
Top marks went to those that managed the trifecta of a light and airy dough, the right amount of sweetness, and a distinct flavor, but individual favorites were varied—almost every doughnut got at least one top vote from a reviewer.
Some preferred a sticky sweet confection of fried goodness, others preferred a more savory pastry with a little crunch to it. After sampling them all we confirmed something we’d always suspected: That our local doughnut offerings are an awesome bunch indeed.
FIRST PLACE WINNER!
Frost Doughnuts Salted Caramel
Tasters’ notes: This sticky-sweet-salty confection easily earned the rank of top doughnut, despite a few clamors for more salt. One taster said, “Absolute heaven! Perfect combo of sweet and savory.” Another said, "The taste doesn’t overwhelm, but definitely caramel." Another simply said, "Wowzers." Indeed.
SECOND PLACE WINNER!
Frost Doughnuts Smokey Bacon Maple Bar
Tasters’ notes: Big points here for the deft combo of savory and sweet. “Really, improbably good,” said one taster. Another commented, "The saltiness of the bacon offsets the sticky sweetness of the doughnut." Another summed it up: “Everything is better with bacon.”