Stop the World I Want to Get Off, is the name of a musical I have never seen. It is also how I feel. I’m having hard time being a person this week. Things keep exploding. And flooding [1]. And being shameful [2]. And being racist [3]. And being anti-gay [4]. And being irresponsible [5]. And being ridiculous [6]. And all anyone does is complain about it on Facebook.
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My best friend had a baby last week. Best friend doesn’t really do it justice. We are kin, and the most powerful kind of kin because we adopted each other—there were no obligations. She and her husband made the most beautiful baby that I have ever seen. Yes, I am biased but he really is perfect and I can already sense his extreme intelligence and creativity. He is currently experiencing his 7th day of life. Everything is new to him. Life is stretched out before him—The Future.
There are weeks (like this one) when the future seems completely terrifying to me. My initial response is always flight. I want to move to a forest (I can’t really explain this one). I want to move to another country (What is the name of that country that doesn’t have any problems?). I want to watch American Idol (the final three better be Kree, Amber, and Candice— otherwise I’m coming for you America). Then, I get angry and scream about fucking politicians or those idiots to Bryan who is overwhelmed by my intensity, but sympathetic.
But mostly I don’t do anything. I sit here, angry sometimes, and I eat donuts. And I look for good news. And there is always some good news [7]. And the good news makes me forget all of the terrible stuff for a while. I have the privilege of being able to forget.
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So once again it is hard to write about food. We gotta get out there and make things better—stand up to a bully, call your representative, recycle something, teach somebody something. Because donuts are important, but not as important as not getting shot. Or love. Or babies.
So make some donuts to celebrate surviving this week and share them with friends. And then, figure out how you’re going to make things better so that more people can have the privilege of reading food blogs, and making donuts, and temporarily forgetting.
These are from the spectacular Saveur donut issues which is a real stunner. These are crunchy and heavily spiced and SO delicious. They also, remarkably, tasted almost as delicious the next day. I can’t wait to make them again.
Old-Fashioned Spiced Sour Cream Donuts (from Saveur [8])
- 4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz.) bread flour, sifted
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 4½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1¼ cups sour cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Canola oil, for forming and frying
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, 1½ tsp. allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Combine eggs, sour cream, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Heat 2″ oil in a 6–qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325°. Using lightly oiled hands, roll about ¼ cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk. With your thumb, make a 1½″ hole in the center of dough; carefully slide into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.
Whisk remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until smooth. Dip tops of donuts in glaze and return to wire rack until glaze is set.