Utah Taste Off - Donuts
When events and things pop up on my facebook feed - wheter as a suggestion from a friend, a suggestion from facebook, or an ad, I pay attention. I have found so many things to do just by checking out ads and posts from facebook.
This event is an example of random thing I found on facebook. But now, I am a total fan. Their name is Utah Taste Off. They are pretty new, but boy do they know how to throw a party. Seriously, these peeps know what they are doing!
Utah Taste Off runs events where different vendors participate in food taste offs. They have done a sugar cookie event in the past and I'm sure there are more awesome parties to come.
But the event I went to: Donuts!!
I honestly didn't know what to expect. I knew very little about how the event would set up. I kinda envisioned a bunch of donut booths that would be handing out samples. Nope. It was waaaaaay cooler than that. When we arrived we were seated at one of their long tables (I like sitting). As we waited for everyone to arrive, there was a photo booth (courtesy of SnapHappy Photo Booth) and a drink station (courtesy of Thirst Drinks).
Next, we were told how the evening would work. Everyone would receive a box of 8 donuts which we could then place on our tasting mat. We would then have time to taste and rate the donuts in three areas (dough, toppings, and appearance). Each category was to be rated on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) for a total score of up to 15. We had score cards to help us write down our scores and to take notes. Then we would use the QR code on the score card to input our scores online so they could all be tallied to find the best donut.
We were also given a little intro on how to critique donuts by the one and only Donut Critic.
At the end, there was raffle for some awesome prizes (Ryan won a gift certificate to NorthWoods Dinner Delivery & Catering)
Okay, so now that I've gone over the logistics, let's get into the donuts and what I thought!!!!
It was a blind taste test, so I didn't know the names of the companies that made the donuts until the end.
We ate ours "backwards" so that is how I shall present them to you:
Donut 8 from Darla's Donuts: This one was too small for how amazingly delicious it was. It was almost like a cronut (part croissant/part donut) which made it super yummy. But it did have a bit of an oily taste to it.
Donut 7 from Mountain Donuts: The toppings on this donut were ah-mazing. You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter. Ryan thought it was a little too sweet. Mountain Donuts is known for cake donuts so these amazing toppings were on top of a cake donut. Cake donuts are not my favorite as I find them kind of dry. But the amazing toppings made me want to keep eating.
Donut 6 from Madbrook Donut Company: This is like a double donut. A donut baked into an ice cream cone on top of a donut covered with fruity pebbles cereal. This one was my favorite. The dough was chewy and the cereal crunch (of which I was skeptical at first) made for a fun donut. Ryan described it as "way fun" and I have to agree.
Donut 5 from Jack's Donuts: This donut was an old-fashioned style. Again, not my favorite type of donut, but this donut was still good. It had a kind of granulated glaze on it that was interestingly tasty.
Donut 4 from Donut Boy: This was a banana cream filled donut. The whipped cream on top was super light and tasty. I avoid whipped cream from a can, but this cream was very tasty and definitely real! Banana can sometimes be a polarizing flavor and isn't a favorite of mine. But it was a great take on a banana cream pie gone donut.
Donut 3 from Cowboy Donuts: This donut had an orange creamsicle flavor to it. That was fun and tasty.
Donut 2 from Johnny O's Spudnuts: This donut was a classic glazed. I am of the opinion that rarely does anyone glaze a donut enough and this was no exception. It also had an interesting flavor that I couldn't place until after the maker of the donut was revealed. Johnny O's Spudnuts is known for potato flour donuts - that "off" taste was from the potato flour. Maybe if I had known ahead of time that it was made with potato flour, it would have been more of a unique taste rather than an "off" taste?
Donut 1 from Nigh-Time Donuts: My first thought after biting into this donut "WTF!! Jalapenos?" It was a jalapeno pineapple donut. Another polarizing flavor. Ryan loved it. And I gave the rest of my donut to Ryan.
In the end, Madbrook may have won the event, but everyone who showed up, left a winner!
Stay tuned! Next up: Noodles and Company Soft Opening.
This event is an example of random thing I found on facebook. But now, I am a total fan. Their name is Utah Taste Off. They are pretty new, but boy do they know how to throw a party. Seriously, these peeps know what they are doing!
Utah Taste Off runs events where different vendors participate in food taste offs. They have done a sugar cookie event in the past and I'm sure there are more awesome parties to come.
But the event I went to: Donuts!!
I honestly didn't know what to expect. I knew very little about how the event would set up. I kinda envisioned a bunch of donut booths that would be handing out samples. Nope. It was waaaaaay cooler than that. When we arrived we were seated at one of their long tables (I like sitting). As we waited for everyone to arrive, there was a photo booth (courtesy of SnapHappy Photo Booth) and a drink station (courtesy of Thirst Drinks).
Next, we were told how the evening would work. Everyone would receive a box of 8 donuts which we could then place on our tasting mat. We would then have time to taste and rate the donuts in three areas (dough, toppings, and appearance). Each category was to be rated on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) for a total score of up to 15. We had score cards to help us write down our scores and to take notes. Then we would use the QR code on the score card to input our scores online so they could all be tallied to find the best donut.
We were also given a little intro on how to critique donuts by the one and only Donut Critic.
At the end, there was raffle for some awesome prizes (Ryan won a gift certificate to NorthWoods Dinner Delivery & Catering)
Okay, so now that I've gone over the logistics, let's get into the donuts and what I thought!!!!
It was a blind taste test, so I didn't know the names of the companies that made the donuts until the end.
We ate ours "backwards" so that is how I shall present them to you:
Donut 8 from Darla's Donuts: This one was too small for how amazingly delicious it was. It was almost like a cronut (part croissant/part donut) which made it super yummy. But it did have a bit of an oily taste to it.
Donut 7 from Mountain Donuts: The toppings on this donut were ah-mazing. You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter. Ryan thought it was a little too sweet. Mountain Donuts is known for cake donuts so these amazing toppings were on top of a cake donut. Cake donuts are not my favorite as I find them kind of dry. But the amazing toppings made me want to keep eating.
Donut 6 from Madbrook Donut Company: This is like a double donut. A donut baked into an ice cream cone on top of a donut covered with fruity pebbles cereal. This one was my favorite. The dough was chewy and the cereal crunch (of which I was skeptical at first) made for a fun donut. Ryan described it as "way fun" and I have to agree.
Donut 5 from Jack's Donuts: This donut was an old-fashioned style. Again, not my favorite type of donut, but this donut was still good. It had a kind of granulated glaze on it that was interestingly tasty.
Donut 4 from Donut Boy: This was a banana cream filled donut. The whipped cream on top was super light and tasty. I avoid whipped cream from a can, but this cream was very tasty and definitely real! Banana can sometimes be a polarizing flavor and isn't a favorite of mine. But it was a great take on a banana cream pie gone donut.
Donut 3 from Cowboy Donuts: This donut had an orange creamsicle flavor to it. That was fun and tasty.
Donut 2 from Johnny O's Spudnuts: This donut was a classic glazed. I am of the opinion that rarely does anyone glaze a donut enough and this was no exception. It also had an interesting flavor that I couldn't place until after the maker of the donut was revealed. Johnny O's Spudnuts is known for potato flour donuts - that "off" taste was from the potato flour. Maybe if I had known ahead of time that it was made with potato flour, it would have been more of a unique taste rather than an "off" taste?
Donut 1 from Nigh-Time Donuts: My first thought after biting into this donut "WTF!! Jalapenos?" It was a jalapeno pineapple donut. Another polarizing flavor. Ryan loved it. And I gave the rest of my donut to Ryan.
In the end, Madbrook may have won the event, but everyone who showed up, left a winner!
Stay tuned! Next up: Noodles and Company Soft Opening.
Comments
Post a Comment