The Gourmet Geocaching Series recognises the "fuel" that keeps us running, hiking, climbing and wandering about in circles. Some of us like a good food break while caching .................... while others will just stuff something in as they continue hunting!
Doughnut ...
The origin of the doughnut is heavily debated. The concept of fried dough is not exclusive to one country or culture and variations of the doughnut can be seen across the globe. Although the exact place, time, and person responsible for creating the doughnut are unknown, there are a few events in the history of the doughnut that stand out.
Dutch Doughnuts
Records show that the Dutch were making olykoeks, or “oil cakes,” as early as the mid 19th century. These early doughnuts were simply balls of cake fried in pork fat until golden brown. Because the center of the cake did not cook as fast as the outside, the cakes were sometimes stuffed with fruit, nuts, or other fillings that did not require cooking.
As Dutch immigrants began to settle in the United States, they continued to make their olykoeks, where they were influenced by other cultures continued to morph into what we call doughnuts today.
Origins of the Doughnut Shape
The Dutch solution to the gooey, uncooked center of the doughnut was to stuff it with fillings that did not require cooking but Hansen Gregory, an American ship captain, had another solution. In 1847 Gregory punched a hole in the center of the dough ball before frying. The hole increased the surface area, exposure to the hot oil, and therefore eliminated the uncooked center.
More colorful versions of Gregory’s invention of the doughnut hole include him impaling a doughnut on the ship’s steering wheel so that he could use both hands to steer, or the idea for the shape being delivered to him in a dream by angels. However Gregory came up with putting a hole in the middle of his olykoek, he is the man credited with inventing the classic hole-in-the-middle shape.
Where Did the Word "Doughnut" Come From?
The origin of the name “doughnut” is also highly debated. Some say it refers to the nuts that were placed inside of the ball of dough to prevent the uncooked center while others claim it refers to “dough knots” which were another popular shape for the olykoeks.
The first written record of the word “doughnut” is in Washington Irving’s 1809 publication, A History of New York. By the early 1900s, many had shortened the word to “donut.” Today, “doughnut” and “donut” are used interchangeably in the English language.
The cache is a small sized scew topped cammo container. It contains a logbook with stashnote, pencil and sharpener, and a number of small swaps.