DONUT EVER LET ME GO
Inspired Vermont donuts reign these days! They find their way to weddings, birthdays, farmers’ markets, and general stores. Here are two northern Vermont bakeries where culinary-trained husband-and-wife teams support our regional economy with conscious sourcing of local ingredients from fellow producers to create amazing artisanal donuts.
LOCAL DONUT: SPREADING JOY AND SWEETNESS
Imagine sitting on a stool in a charming bakery annex attached to a lovely country house sipping VT802 coffee topped with cream-top raw milk from Hollister Hill Farm. I am listening to the story of Local Donut’s early beginnings that honor a family recipe passed down through the generations. Arms-length from me sits a tray of scrumptious donuts, making it difficult to remain focused.
My interview with Nate Doyon began this way, as I took notes with more than an occasional glance at meticulously spaced donuts spread on a large tray on top of a charming stovetop. Pure yumminess. Lemon Beauty, Vermont Maple Glaze, Vermont Apple Spice, Honey Sesame Cardamom, and Mixed Berry Jam were this week’s selections. One unnamed candidate still in the R & D stage donned a rich, deep pink cranberry icing. Yeast dough mixed very carefully by hand, then hand folded, and then individually cooked in a cast-iron skillet? Impressive! And Nate makes up to 500 donuts daily.
If the beautiful craftsmanship wasn’t enough, the scrumptious aroma of lemon, apples, sugar, and cardamom infused into these donuts made in the wee hours of the morning emanating through this small sustainably designed bakery in Woodbury was indeed. Fortunately, Nate’s story, which included lovely comments from his wife, Nina, kept me focused. Their exuberance and passion for bringing joy and sweet goodness to their local communities through donuts made with love was inspirational.
Nina and Nate combine the best of culinary skills and talent to offer small-batch, yeast-risen donuts, made from local farm ingredients: fresh eggs, Jersey milk, butter, flour from Northeast Kingdom grains, and the list goes on. They ask, what is seasonal, what is local, and what are the farmers growing? That translates into using local apples and berries from Peace of Earth Farm and eggs from Black Dirt Farm in Stannard. As Nina proudly shared, “Our mission is to build a strong community network by supporting the Vermont food systems. We are dedicated to sourcing local ingredients from surrounding farms to create nostalgic, yeastrisen donuts.”
Nate recalls his fascination as a young boy growing up with a family of bakers. High school years were spent learning the craft, and at 17, he received second prize at a Skills USA baking competition, which included a financial award that helped him continue his education at the New England Culinary Institute. His résumé includes Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe Mountain Resort, and Carrier Coffee in Northfield. While learning the barista business, he brought his handmade donuts to share, and his repertoire eventually grew from a sampling to more than four-dozen. Nina earned a master’s degree in culinary arts at Slow Food University in Piedmont, Italy and offers 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.
When the pandemic arrived in early 2020, Nate and Nina made the decision to launch Local Donut. Their message of hope and giving small businesses encouragement during tough times was ever-present. Nate created a work routine to allow for time with his family and baking in the wee hours of the morning. He also takes daily cold plunges into Greenwood Lake. Not having a storefront, Nina happily delivers orders directly to customers’ homes in neighboring towns and to some local businesses with their two small daughters and lots of laughter. During the early days of the pandemic, Nina attached a handmade, colorful heart to each bag. Check out their website to track down these donuts.
Both Nina and Nate are proud that they are helping to create a movement to support local farms and businesses. They offered me a generous sampling of donuts that day, placed in a brown cardboard box with their clever logo. I spread the sweetness and deliciousness to my own friends in Stannard later that day, cutting each donut into fours and enjoying every last bite. Only thing missing was that coffee with cream-top milk.
Photo courtesy of Danielle Visco, Luvlens Photo
Celebrating the seasons and holidays with flair and fun is a big part of North Country Donuts’ vision, always offering something new for the “regulars.”
NORTH COUNTRY DONUTS … BETTER GET THERE EARLY
Get yourself to this donut eatery early for the best selection of mouthwatering donuts. This charming coffee shop, located on Morrisville’s lower Main Street, offers simple elegance and epic artisanal donuts. It’s hip with a black-and-white motif that clearly showcases the donuts as well as a sampling of cupcakes. On weekends, two batches fly off the shelves quickly. There was a short line when I arrived just before opening, and a nice guy near me shared that he was a regular and that yes, it was worth the wait. He noted that folks often order online and just pick up their selections.
Celebrating the seasons and holidays with flair and fun is a big part of North Country Donuts’ vision, always offering something new for the “regulars.” They make all their own jams and jellies in-house using local berries from Waterman Orchard and Cabot Smith Farm and apples from Burtt’s Apple Orchard.
Other regional suppliers include Hollow Brook Farm, Mansfield Dairy, and Green Mountain Farm. Creative holiday flavors include Peppermint Mocha, Chocolate Cherry, Eggnog Custard, and Gingerbread Cake donuts. Mardi Gras is celebrated with New Orleans–inspired donut fare such as Bananas Foster and Pecan Praline. And nothing beats the maple donut holes—the essence of Vermont condensed into a tiny ball of joy!
Owners Nicole Maddox and Curtis Swafford have solid culinary backgrounds. Nicole grew up on the Texas-Louisiana border but landed here in Vermont to attend the New England Culinary Institute where she became a pastry chef. Curtis grew up in the Northeast Kingdom and had a long tenure in the restaurant business. Nicole’s first pastry passion was special order cakes, but she recognized that it was often a seasonal business.
She converted her husband to donuts, and, after selling the treats from their front porch, the couple took the plunge and invested in this retail store in 2018. Their success is clearly the result of a hard work ethic, countless hours, and a passion for local produce to create a unique product that sources as many local ingredients as possible. This combination has made their donuts “hot,” and you better be in line or get your order in early or you may be out of luck.
They pride themselves on making everything from scratch, and these donuts are created intentionally for foodies with interesting and creative flavors. Fortunately, they make 1,200 to 1,500 per day. This husband-and-wife team loves the opportunity to offer something new to the counter display that inspires customers to return often.
Their goals are clear as they focus on keeping Vermont’s reputation as a great sustainable food state, serving real food by real chefs and supporting Vermont local farms. And when not making epic artisanal donuts, Nicole and Curtis relax with their rescue dogs, Marlena and Louie. Maybe doggie donuts will be next on their list!
Photo courtesy of Danielle Visco, Luvlens Photo
