First Annual Donut Fest Was A Sweet Success
By Lisa White in Food on Jan 27, 2014 5:00PM
Doughnut Vault competed with their classic vanilla glazed but showcased their sour cream and birthday cake for sale as well./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Doughnut Vault competed with their classic vanilla glazed but showcased their sour cream and birthday cake for sale as well./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Beavers Donuts competed with their cinnamon sugar but our personal favorite was their turtle donut bite./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Beavers Donuts competed with their cinnamon sugar but our personal favorite was their turtle donut bite./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Berrista's chocolate glazed was light and perfectly sweet, with or without the "miracle berry" tablet./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Berrista's chocolate glazed was light and perfectly sweet, with or without the "miracle berry" tablet./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Gurnee Donuts offered up a glazed buttermilk, a delicious dense cake donut with a nice crunch, a subtle take on an original./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Gurnee Donuts offered up a glazed buttermilk, a delicious dense cake donut with a nice crunch, a subtle take on an original./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Swedish Bakery showcased a chocolate custard filled bismarck, a rich option for the filled doughnut fans./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Swedish Bakery showcased a chocolate custard filled bismarck, a rich option for the filled doughnut fans./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Firecakes had one of the loveliest displays at Donut Fest./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Firecakes had one of the loveliest displays at Donut Fest./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
A personal favorite was Firecakes peanut butter cup doughnut, filled with smooth and decadent peanut butter mousse and topped with chocolate ganache./Photo credit: Lisa White
![A personal favorite was Firecakes peanut butter cup doughnut, filled with smooth and decadent peanut butter mousse and topped with chocolate ganache./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Reuter's Bakery offered up a classic chocolate glazed long john for traditional fried dough fans./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Reuter's Bakery offered up a classic chocolate glazed long john for traditional fried dough fans./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Donut Den from Joliet showcased a French toast doughnut, which wasn't overly sweet and lighter than the name suggested. It was a deliciously light sugary treat and fan favorite pick./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Donut Den from Joliet showcased a French toast doughnut, which wasn't overly sweet and lighter than the name suggested. It was a deliciously light sugary treat and fan favorite pick./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Fritz Pastry showcased a blueberry chocolate crumble. The chocolate only brought out the tart yet well balanced blueberry, making the fruit shine perfectly in this dense glazed option./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Fritz Pastry showcased a blueberry chocolate crumble. The chocolate only brought out the tart yet well balanced blueberry, making the fruit shine perfectly in this dense glazed option./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Scafuri Bakery's Nutella Bombolini was another personal favorite. A light and airy base filled with Nutella and topped with an espresso glaze and toasted hazelnut was rich but not over-the-top./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Scafuri Bakery's Nutella Bombolini was another personal favorite. A light and airy base filled with Nutella and topped with an espresso glaze and toasted hazelnut was rich but not over-the-top./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
Glazed and Infused brought their popular maple bacon long john to the donut competition arena./Photo credit: Lisa White
![Glazed and Infused brought their popular maple bacon long john to the donut competition arena./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
West Town Bakery's beer and pretzel doughnut was a favorite with both the judges and fans./Photo credit: Lisa White
![West Town Bakery's beer and pretzel doughnut was a favorite with both the judges and fans./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
West Town Bakery's beer and pretzel doughnut included a spicy cookie filling, beer glaze, pretzel crumbs and a flair of edible gold./Photo credit: Lisa White
![West Town Bakery's beer and pretzel doughnut included a spicy cookie filling, beer glaze, pretzel crumbs and a flair of edible gold./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
The judge's favorite being announced during Sunday's competition./Photo credit: Lisa White
![The judge's favorite being announced during Sunday's competition./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
endgrain, the judge's top pick and #2 fan favorite, post with their donut topped trophy./Photo credit: Lisa White
![endgrain, the judge's top pick and #2 fan favorite, post with their donut topped trophy./Photo credit: Lisa White]()
And top donut honors went to endgrain for their honey glazed doughscuit, a doughnut/biscuit hybrid./Photo courtesy of endgrain.
![And top donut honors went to endgrain for their honey glazed doughscuit, a doughnut/biscuit hybrid./Photo courtesy of endgrain.]()
The first annual Donut Fest satisfied many a sweet tooth Sunday, as fried dough fans packed into 1st ward, the event space in Chop Shop, for the inaugural sold-out event. Fifteen donut/doughnut shops competed for top honors from judges and fans. Each guest enjoyed a tasting portion from each vendor (although "tasting" meant a pretty large doughnut from many), tickets to purchase coffee from local vendors and a tote bag full of coupons for more delicious goods from the competitors. All profits from the ticket sales of the festival went to support Un86'd, an organizations that helps out restaurant professionals in need of assistance. Besides showcasing some of the best and well known doughnuts in Chicago, we were happy to see some suburban favorites included as well, a perfect option for us culinary curious non-car owning city dwellers.
A judging panel of industry vets and a Chicago police officer chose endgrain as the overall best with their honey glazed doughscuit, a doughnut/biscuit hybrid. Other honors went to Doughnut Vault for best original and West Town Bakery for most creative. Fan favorite top honors went to West Town Bakery for their beer and pretzel doughnut while endgrain and Donut Den received fan favorite nods as well.
We tasted every doughnut option competing Sunday (despite our blood sugar and dental work begging for a break) and had some favorites of our own. Although we didn't meet any doughnuts we didn't like Sunday, our top three standouts were Scafuri Bakery, Firecakes and Gurnee Donuts. Scafuri, a Taylor street bakery that has been around since 1904, impressed us with their light, rich yet not too decadent Nutella Bombolini, filled with Nutella and topped with an espresso glaze and toasted hazelnut. Firecakes offered up their peanut butter cup, another light and airy doughnut but this time filled with peanut butter mousse and topped with a chocolate ganache. And Gurnee Donuts showcased a slight twist on an original with their buttermilk glazed, a perfectly dense doughnut with a slight buttermilk tang and a nice crunchy exterior.
Donut Fest sold out quickly this year and we're sure the second one will do the same. So start keeping it on your radar for next year so you too can enjoy the best fried dough that Chicagoland has to offer.
