My 11 year old has always been crazy about donuts, but not discriminating about them at all. I only discovered any passion for donuts after eating at The Holy Donut in Portland Maine in summer 2012. Donuts for grownups. I could never return to Dunkin or Hortons. I assumed I'd be donut-less in Florida. When you have a good donut, you don't want to waste your time with crappy wheels of air, chemicals and sugar.
Why are there only four in the box? The kids were already were snarfing down their first ones before I could take a pic.
Then Jan Norris of Food & Florida mentioned Jupiter Donut Factory. My curiosity was piqued. They advertise themselves as being open 6 a.m. until they run out. Well, we tried zipping up there after church on a Sunday with our 2 kids and 3 extra kids in tow... and well, not surprisingly, at 12:30 on a Sunday they were cleaned out, cleaned up and shut tight. When you promise 5 kids donuts, you end up at Dunkin Donuts after all at this point. *sigh*
So today, my 2 kids and I took a little detour on our way north to visit family. We got to Jupiter Donut Factory about 9:30 a.m. and found plenty to choose from.
Choices choices
Now one thing I love about the aforementioned The Holy Donut in Portland Maine is the cool flavor combos like Coffee Brandy and Dark Chocolate Ginger. Jupiter Donut Factory didn't blow my mind with any new donut ideas. They have a bunch of the traditionals: glazed, Boston cream, chocolate frosted chocolate donut. And the "exotic" ones tended to be mostly chocolate donuts wtih chocolate frosting with some sort of crushed candy add ons. So nothing exciting at first glance. However....
The other thing I love about The Holy Donut -- and now about Jupiter Donut Factory -- is oh my god. A freshly made, recently made, quality ingredient donut is heaven on earth.
What we ordered: We held ourselves back to only a half dozen, because we knew we'd eat all that we bought. At least the pending road trip made it easier to justify two each. My son stuck with his loyalties and ordered two chocolate frosted chocolate donuts. My daughter went safe with a glazed and branched out with a red velvet cake donut with cream cheese frosting (one of Jupiter Donut Factory's signature items). I also tried out an old favorite: Boston Cream, and indulged nearly every fantasy with a chocolate frosted with toffee bits.
Sooooo, how was it?
As conditioned as I have been by the crappy mass produced donuts, the first descriptors I can think of for Jupiter Donut Factory's Boston Cream is what it isn't. There's NOT a chemical after taste. It's NOT half-stale from being trucked across town from the oven. It's NOT sickly sweet. It doesn't disppear and then I wonder where it went and why I am still craving more.
What a GOOD donut is is satisfying. These donuts aren't satisfying as in they are huge and fill you up and you regret everything. The flavors are so delish, and from fresh quality ingredients, and not filled with air, that you have that one donut, and It's like, yeah, I enjoyed those flavors, and my mouth is so content, that I can save the other for after we cross the Georgia line this afternoon. My daughter and I savored each our donuts, enjoying every bite. Mr Donut Freak in the back, he inhaled them as always. He'll learn some day.
Later in the day in South Carolina, son again wolfed down his second double choc. The daughter took one bite of her red velvet donut and declared herself in love. My toffee donut was as terrific as I'd expected. Good cakey donut, not overly sweet frosting, a good sprinkle of toffee for crunch and flavor but not too much. When i tried to describe it to my daughter, I found myself using wine terminology -- it had a good mouth feel, the flavors were deep, the flavor profile lingered on my tongue.
Yeah, it was good.
Are donuts the new trendy?
Are cupcakes done, and donuts the new thing? The Holy Donut in Portland has been a big "thing" for a couple years. Now here in South Florida, we've got Jupiter Donut Factory, a cider donut place in Palm Beach Gardens that I heard passing mention of, and a fancy donut place down in north Broward. Heck, even I and a baking friend have been discussing the fantasy of opening a donut shop.
Good donuts can be THAT good.
So I may pass at least a dozen Dunkin Donuts to get to Jupiter Donut Factory, but it's worth an occasional treat. You know what? The prices were comparable to Dunkin Donuts. But the value was 100 fold better.
Sorry, I didn't try the coffee. But as busy as the place was on a Friday morning, I think the other customers looked pretty happy.
Location
141 Center St, Jupiter
Menu:
http://southflorida.menupages.com/restaurants/jupiter-donut-factory/menu
Excellent review. The point about the difference between freshly made donuts and factory made donuts can't be overemphasized. People will not believe the difference until they taste it for themselves.
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