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Calgary Herald

Chorney-Booth: Where to find crispy, creamy and distinctively local doughnuts in Calgary

It's hard not to love a doughnut. Sure, sugar-coated rounds of fried dough have little to no nutritional value (save for the odd hit of fruity jelly), but when it comes to a treat, it's hard to beat a good old doughnut. Various reports claim Canadians to be the most avid doughnut eaters on the planet, which will come as no surprise to anyone who found themselves standing in the massive lineups at the new Krispy Kreme location that opened in Calgary last week. Article content While Krispy Kreme has re-ignited doughnut mania in Calgary – and for good reason, those original glazed doughnuts are absolutely delicious, especially when they're hot off the conveyor belt – those looking to frequent a doughnut biz with more local roots also have plenty of choice. Local doughnut bakeries are often more temporary than a typical full-service restaurant, but these days, we seem to have a solid collection of options in the city. Article content Article content Article content While it's not fair to play favourites, if you're going to try one independent doughnut brand in Calgary, it should be Doughnut Party. This company is officially based in Edmonton, but partners Simon Underwood and Matthew Garrett now have two locations in Calgary (at 1125 9th Ave. S.E. in Inglewood and 2205 33rd Ave. S.W. in Marda Loop) and spend a good chunk of their time in our city. The party started back in 2012 with Garrett selling his doughnuts in an Edmonton farmer's market, gaining a dedicated fan base for his extra-large and extra-flavourful treats. The company's growth has happened fairly organically, and Garrett's focus is still on creating doughnuts that play on childhood memories while packing a lot of complex flavour. Article content Article content 'Our menu is inspired by pop culture, by travel, and nostalgia,' Garrett says. 'We want to take pieces from people's histories and reinvent them in our own way without making them seem inaccessible.' Article content Article content Doughnut Party's menu changes monthly, but June's selections include works of doughy art like the Alberta Rose fritter studded with rhubarb, apple, cardamom and rosewater; the Bernadette with lavender, rosemary, chocolate and sea salt; and the Hot Mama Long Jane, coated with strawberry, wasabi, and black sesame; as well as the Oilers-themed 'Connor McDoughnut' (give them a break, they're from Edmonton). A six-pack of doughnuts should keep a family of four partying for a couple of days. Article content But Doughnut Party isn't the only celebration of fried dough in town. Here are some other local doughnut (or 'donut,' if you must) mongers worth investigating: Article content Hoopla Donuts The doughnut division of the Phil and Sebastian coffee empire, Hoopla Donut shops began to emerge in 2018, typically paired with one of its parent company's cafés. Hoopla offers superior versions of classic glazed and filled doughnuts, all suitable for dunking should you choose. Since Phil and Sebastian are always aiming for perfection, the dough recipe recently got a tweak to make the doughnuts softer and moister, with cake doughnuts also added to the mix.