[1] The mall food court is a barren wasteland of chain food (dry, sawdusty sandwhich bread with teeny little plastic cheese squares, overstrong lemonade from concentrate), Asiam women waving toothpicks covered in congealed msj "samples" and teenagers with ear stretchers and too-large jeans scarfing down food and hooting at passers by. So imagine my surprise when I rounded the corner at the St. Matthews mall and saw this little gem: London's Mini Donut Bar. A locally operated mini donut stand in the mall!
The mini donuts are $00.94 cents a pop, $3.78 for a half dozen or $5.66 for a dozen. They come in powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or glazed, was an option to add additional toppings (like sprinkles!) for $00.47. There is a row of hot pink stools where you can sit and eat your adorable mini-donuts with a glass of milk or juice. Everything is cuter when it's mini, where do you think the current cupcake or cake pop craze came from? The little donuts nestled in their paper holders were indeed adorable, and the cinnamon sugar donut the proprietress let me try was warm out of the fryer, crisp on the outside and crunchy with cinnamon sugar, soft and warm on the inside. So delicious!
Support your local businesses during this time of holiday giving and spending and frantic consuming. Stop by London's mini donut bar and have a few little donuts, rest your tired feet and watch the donuts fry. Come to think of it, wouldn't a dozen mini donuts make a great little hostess gift for that Christmas party you've been invited to, or your receptionist at work, or your hard working baby sitter? Affordable, adorable, and amazingly yummy!
photo: Elizabeth Orrick