Doughnuts And Cider A Fall Tradition

Autumn is full of good treats and good eats. There's pumpkin soup, caramel apples and apple pie along with roasted squashes and braised cabbages. Another fall standard are doughnuts and cider. You can't have one without the other. They are a sweet reminder of why we love fall.

Doughnuts are actually an international cake with variations throughout the world. They are big in Israel where' they're served for Hanukkah and China where there a several variations. The French make their own called beignets while the German and the Austrians fry up ones for Lent called fastnachts. (or fasting nights). The American doughnut was thought to have been brought over by the Dutch to Manhattan in the mid 1600's and were called olykoeks. These were rings that were fried and then sprinkled with sugar. They were known as dough nuts later on in the 1700's when the were formed into little nut like balls and fried. Doughnuts as we know them started in 1803 invented by a sixteen year old boy. He then taught his mother how to make them. By the mid 1800's doughnuts were an established food in American cuisine,

Nothing says fall like doughnuts. The best kind are the cinnamon and plain cake ones that go well with a chilled glass of non alcoholic cider. The doughnuts; flavor compliments the tartness of the cider's taste. The drink also helps to cool down the cinnamon's heat and cleanse the palate. Don't try to combine any other types of doughnuts. jelly or chocolate ones or the iced one don't work. Stick with the basics. I like Entemanns' plain cinnamon and powdered sugar types. If you're lucky go to your local farms and pick up a bag of fresh made plain ones.

Nothing goes with this bright fall weather than doughnuts and cider. This is the best treat of the the season. Have some today as part of an October picnic.