Fact File about the Invention of Donuts: Invention: Donut *** Date of Invention: 1867 *** Name of Inventor: Hanson Gregory *** Lifespan of Inventor: 1832 - 1921 *** Nationality of Inventor: American *** Historical Period: Industrial Revolution *** Category: Food and Drink *** Country of Origin: America *** Facts about the Inventor, Hanson Gregory, and the invention of Donuts *** Fact 1: Who invented Donuts? The Legend: The donut legend tells that Hanson Gregory impaled fried dough cakes on the ship's steering wheel (helm) for easy access to the snack. and the idea of the ring doughnut, with its famous round hole, was born. Fact 2: Who invented Donuts? The Name: There was a problem with the original ball-shaped doughnut. The deep frying method of the cakes often resulted on the inside of the cake being raw. To address this problem some early cooks put hazelnuts or walnuts in the center of the cake - hence the name "dough-nuts". Fact 3: Who invented Donuts? The Ring Donut: Ring Donuts were invented by Hanson Gregory of Rockport, Maine in 1867 and this style of cake resolved the problem of raw, uncooked dough at the center of the cakes. In the spring of 1848 he requested that a little bakery in nearby Camden, Maine to make a special batch of ring doughnuts for his next voyage. There are now 110 different varieties of Hanson Gregory's basic invention. Fact 4: Who invented Donuts? Prior to the invention of the American Ring Donuts the ball-shaped type of fried cake was found in most civilizations across the world in ancient times. The early Native American Indians created their own form of doughnuts and similar ancient fried cakes were found in Europe, Africa and the Far East.
Fact 5: Who invented Donuts? Each country had their own names for doughnuts. In Morocco they are called "Sfenj" (from the Arabic word 'Safanja' meaning sponge). In China "Youtiao", also known as Chinese oil sticks, were the names of small fied cakes traditionally eaten at breakfast with milk and sugar. Fact 6: Who invented Donuts? A round deep-fried jelly or custard doughnut, called a "sufganiyah" is eaten in Israel and around the world on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
Fact 7: Who invented Donuts? In the Philippines "Binangkal" is the name given to simple fried dough balls covered in sesame seeds or caramelized sugar. Fact 8: Who invented Donuts? Doughnut were popular across all the countries in Europe. Especially popular at carnivals and the New Year in Austria, Germany and Switzerland are the "Berliner Pfannkuchen", a solid, ball-shaped doughnut filled with apricot jam or marmalade. The word 'Berliner' is translated as "jelly doughnut". Various varieties of the popular "Berliner" are also available in bakeries across Slovenia, the Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Fact 9: Who invented Donuts? In France the "Beignet" is the name of a deep-fried choux pastry. Donuts (doughnuts) in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada are referred to as Beignets in French. Fact 10: Who invented Donuts? In the Netherlands, "oliebollen", often referred to as "Dutch doughnuts", are a type of fritter, with or without raisins or currants, and usually sprinkled with powdered sugar. Other doughnuts from Holland were known as "olykoeks", or oily cakes. Fact 11: Who invented Donuts? In England there was an old custom to prepare fried sweet cakes on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) which were eaten when bonfires were built to scare away witches.
Fact 12: Who invented Donuts? The traditional recipes for various types of doughnuts were brought to the New World by immigrants starting a new life in America.
Fact 13: Who invented Donuts? One of the early immigrants to New York was a Dutch woman called Anna Joralemon who opened the first hole-less doughnut shop in the United States on Broadway near Maiden Lane. Mrs. Joralemon, by all accounts a large woman, was known by the nickname of the "Big Doughnut". Fact 14: Who invented Donuts? In 1892 Ellis Island opened and many immigrants are welcomed to America by members of the Salvation Army with a cup of coffee and a jelly doughnut. Fact 15: Who invented Donuts? The Salvation Army played another significant role on the history of donuts when 250 women from the Salvation Army went to France in 1917 to set up canteens and as a morale booster to the American Expeditionary Force during WW1 (1914 - 1918). The female volunteers, known as "Doughnut Girls", provided coffee, candy and donuts to American soldiers who fought in the trenches. Fact 16: Who invented Donuts? In 1920 Adolph Levitt, the founder of the Doughnut Machine Corporation of America, introduced the automatic doughnut shaper. Adolph Levitt was also credited with being the first to change the spelling of the word from doughnuts to donuts. Fact 17: Who invented Donuts? After the Great War the popularity of doughnuts increased still further as a tasty snack. However the Great Depression (1929 - 1939) witnessed a rise in the importance of donuts as a cheap food. Fact 18: Who invented Donuts? In 1938 the Salvation Army suggested that the first Friday in June to celebrate National Donut Day, as a tribute to the "Doughnut Girls" who served the fried confection to soldiers during World War I, both abroad and upon their return. Many American donut stores offer free donuts on National Donuts Day. Fact 19: Who invented Donuts? During WW2 (1939 - 1945), Red Cross Volunteers distributed doughnuts to the troops and were given the nickname of "Doughnut Dollies". Fact 20: Who invented Donuts? In 1937 Vernon Rudolph began selling Krispy Kreme donuts to local grocery stores in Old Salem in North Carolina. Fact 20: Who invented Donuts? In 1950 Dunkin’ Donuts was founded by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. Fact 18: Who invented Donuts? American Donut shops have been described as a "national institution" and an unofficial national food. Fast Info and Fact File: Country of Origin: America *** Name of Inventor: Hanson Gregory *** Nationality of Inventor: American *** Date of Invention: 1867 *** Invention: Donuts *** Lifespan of Inventor: 1832 - 1921 *** Invention Era: Industrial Revolution *** Type: Food and Drink *** The Inventor and Invention of Donuts *** | 
