So Much For Everyone Else But So Little For Me

The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day. Unlike so many of our other "National Whatever" days, this one appears to be the offshoot of a truly altruistic  event. It seems that in WW I, the Salvation Army sent volunteers to France to buoy the spirits of the men coming off the front lines by supplying them with freshly-baked doughnuts. Perhaps a little taste of home...perhaps a welcome relief from the French pastries available (though not, I suspect, to the average "doughboy") Anyway, to commemorate the generosity of volunteers, in 1917, a "National" day was awarded to the simple doughnut. Despite the fact that some companies have bastardized the spelling to "donut," the pastry has become a staple.
However, one CAN have too much of the same thing so varieties naturally abound. Beginning tomorrow, June 7, on National Doughnut Day, Dunkin' Donuts is rolling out (so to speak) its latest offering: a glazed doughnut, halved and filled with bacon and an egg. This, no doubt, is in keeping with DD's attempt to capture a significant share of the fast food breakfast market...though the company is far behind the offerings put out recently at minor league ballparks and chronicled in this blog. In New York, everyone is clamoring for a "cronut," a delicacy made of deep fried, glazed croissant pastry. Those wacky Easterners!
The expansion is not simply aimed at ways to offer the pastry, either; the international market seems to be booming as well. Currently, Dunkin' Donuts has a presence in 31 foreign countries and aims to add between 400 and 500 foreign outlets this year.
Seriously? In just about every foreign country I have visited, the breakfast "breads" are FAR more appealing and healthy than a doughnut. OK, maybe churros and hot chocolate might not be more healthy, but beignets? seriously? Even the buttery, flaky croissant has it all over a doughnut for taste and nutrition.
I'll show them. I won't get one of the free doughnuts that Dunkin' Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Time Horton's, and LaMars is giving away in honor of National Doughnut Day. That's one for the people!
Of course, none of them has a franchise where I live, but that's beside the point.