boston

Donut Tuesdays with Twin DO-Nuts

~ addeems ~ Leave a comment

Sure, working for the VA Boston Healthcare System is great because we get the opportunity to serve the veterans that served our country. What is also great about working here is having co-workers down for some dough. It all started a few months ago when I brought in a dozen from Twin DO-Nuts in Allston, MA.

Retro Storefront
Retro Storefront

This isn’t exactly on my way to work, but since when does that matter when chasing doughnuts. Twin is everything I love about a small family owned donut shop. It’s no corporate, mundane chain **cough, Dunkin, cough** and as  you can see from the storefront is has it’s own unique character. The sign is as iconic in Allston as Randy’s huge donut is in LA (see Hole in the Sky).

And obviously the donuts are freaking great. Classic flavors: glazed, chocolate glazed, chocolate frosted, lemon, jelly, powered, sugar raised, old fashioned. Can’t ever go wrong with the fluffy yeast donuts and traditional cake pairings. And for $8 for a dozen, it’s hard not to make everyday a donut day.

Dozen ❤

Since this first introduction, a weekly tradition has begun and Donut Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays have emerged thanks to generous contributions from some awesome co-workers. Thanks to this movement, we have also sampled masterpieces from the lots of Blackbird Doughnuts in the South End, Mike’s Donuts in Mission Hill, and Doughboy Donuts & Deli in Southie. And of course this is New England, so it’s impossible to get away without having a few Dunkins as well. So this proves that it’s not just me; these guys are also suckers for donuts any day of the week.

Advertisement

Blackbird Doughnuts

~ addeems ~ 3 Comments

Boston’s South End is home to some of the city’s best food. One of it’s most recent additions is Blackbird Doughnuts down on Tremont Street. New England and Boston in particular is home to the infamous, mediocre Dunkin Donut so I was beyond thrilled to learn that there was a new shop making fresh doughnuts in the Town.

Blackbird makes gourmet doughnuts with some very fun, very delicious flavor. On my first visit a few weeks into their grand opening, I tried a few of these bad boys:

Starting from the top right working clockwise: Wild Berry Bismark, Buffalo Frito, Pineapple Habanero, and Dark Chocolate Pomegranate. Amazing flavors. The most unique and my favorite was the Buffalo Frito. With the sweet and savory combination topped with that drizzle of Frank’s hot sauce, my taste buds died and went to heaven. The doughnut itself is a dense yeast doughnut that is heavier than most I’ve had. These guys are jacked with dough. Similar to that guy at the gym that keeps hogging the weight bench, think solid, packing some real muscle.

The shop is open Thursdays-Sundays 7am to 3pm. It’s a small space with standing room only so be prepared to congregate in the corner or take them outside to enjoy. Another great option is walking down the street to the Starbucks or the park a few blocks down for some more seating.

I was very excited to share the experience with my good friends Jenny and Norm a few weeks ago during their visit to Boston. Among all of the seafood (in particular the 5 dozen oysters) we enjoyed, we also spent a Sunday with a few of these little guys.

Admiration
Admiration
Clockwise from top right: salted toffee, cinnamon stack, peanut butter, french roast, chocolate gnash, dark chocolate pomagranate
Clockwise from top right: salted toffee, cinnamon stack, peanut butter, french roast, chocolate ganache, dark chocolate pomegranate

What keeps me coming back are the crazy good flavors and thick glazed coating on each of these guys. The salted toffee is however by far my favorite. Salt and sweet and perfectly balanced. This salted toffee is the Blackbird poster child and it’s impossible to leave without devouring one.

They will usually have a few daily specials depending on the season so there is always something new to try. Last Sunday I stopped by with a few friends and made out with this pepperoni pizza, s’mores, and of course a salted toffee.

Pepperoni pizza, S'mores, Salted Toffee
Pepperoni pizza, S’mores, Salted Toffee

As always the salted toffee was phenomenal, the pepperoni pizza was a savory treat, and the s’mores with fluff and chocolate ganache did not disappoint.

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in the South End, Blackbird is a must!