Farm-raised donuts

There is a simple theorem for understanding why Blognut so thoroughly enjoys a good farmer’s market:

1) A decent farmer’s market is most likely to have at least one booth run by a local apple orchard.
2) Apple orchards generally produce apple cider.
3) Apple cider can be combined with flour, sugar and egg and fashioned into a delicious donut.
4) Many apple orchards offer apple cider donuts.

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Saturday Morning, Union Square – While most New Yorkers navigate the Union Square Farmer’s Market in search of locally-grown produce, Blognut arrives with one thing on our mind – donuts.

After passing countless booths peddling unfried edibles like organic berries and vine-rippened tomatos, we finally encounter our dealer of choice - Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill out of Straatsburg, NY. While Breezy Hill is best known for their extensive collection of freshly-picked apples, they also happen to fry one of the best cider donuts in the area. Blognut orders a bag of three.

Our natural response to any orchard-born, apple cider donut is to immediately compare it to those brought to life high above Charlottesville, Virginia at Carter Mountain Orchard. Carter Mountain donuts are, without a doubt, some of our all-time favorite Nuts. Freshly-made all day, these bite-sized donuts emerge from the fryer soft, warm and delicious. They are then doused with a ton of cinnamon and sugar and stuffed into a paper bag which quickly becomes saturated with oil. (Sorry, I'm getting carried away, I forgot this post is about Breezy Hill). Breezy's donuts are much more subtle than the Carter variety. With no external frills, these dry cake rings rely on just slightly sweet, cinnamon/cider dough to please their eater. Overall, the flavor is mild, but pleasingly fresh, light and outdoorsy - a perfect compliment to a bushell of fresh vegetables.

The Union Square Farmer's Market is open year round and operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m..