According to Dunkindonuts.com, the number of doughnuts eaten by Americans each year may be as high as 10 billion. UW-Madison students may be confused as to how they can contribute to this number, however, as the closest Dunkin' Donuts is in Janesville, Wis., and Wisconsin's first Krispy Kreme is still under construction in Milwaukee, due to open Dec. 11. Those in the know, however, realize that the glazed, sprinkled and chocolate-covered treats are available a very short distance from campus.
Never known to shy away from the dirty work, Daily Cardinal Foods packed a flask of milk and set out early one morning to round up Madison's doughnut options.
2810 E. Washington Ave.
$7.25 for a baker's dozen
Farthest away from campus of the three downtown doughnut places, the Donut Station proved worth the drive. Advertising ""strong coffee, soft doughnuts,"" the Station follows through and truly hits the spot in the morning. Offering doughnuts, coffee and nothing else, they run from 55 cents for cake to 70 cents for custard or jelly filled, with raised-yeast doughnuts costing 65 cents. The filled doughnut especially stood out, remaining light and fluffy despite the custard center'no easy task. The other selections were also uniformly exceptional, with both the cake and yeast doughnuts possessing the desired airy, appetizing flavor. The Donut Station also boasts an excellent cup o' joe, completing the early morning experience.
Visitors will be treated to smiling, friendly service whether it is at 2 a.m., when they open or 2 p.m., when they close. Located out on East Washington by Ella's Deli, owner Suzanne Moertl said the best seller over their first 17 months in business has to be the apple turnover.
She also urged students to make the trip out to her store, stressing its academic advantages.
""I think at this time of year, our doughnuts can give you the energy to get through finals,"" she said. ""Also, we are open at 2 a.m. and we have great open areas for studying.""
As if students need a reason to eat doughnuts.
1305 Regent St.
$7 a dozen
Long a favorite of students due to its two-for-one coupons and proximity to campus, Greenbush Bakery serves up a variety of cookies, turnovers and fritters. They are best known, though, for their doughnuts'and with good reason. Costing 70 cents for any variety, Greenbush sports an impressive diversity of yeast, cake and filled doughnuts. A longtime worker, identified only as Patty, said, ""We continually try to offer students a good variety.""
Greenbush succeeds. Also, they listen to the customer: Make suggestions for new kinds of doughnuts, and they just might show up on the menu.
Along with the basic assortment of chocolate, sprinkled and sugar-covered doughnuts, Greenbush offers the ""Rabbi's Delight,"" their most popular seller. It is a cruller filled with jelly or custard, nicely complementing the rest of the entirely kosher menu.
Each of the doughnuts is thoroughly soft and delicious, but somewhat greasier and doughier than the fare at both the Donut Station and Lane's Bakery and Gift Shop. Nonetheless, Greenbush provides quality doughnuts, serve-yourself coffee at a reasonable price and agreeable service.
""We always try to keep it very personal,"" Patty said. ""I know myself, I feel a maternal connection to some of the kids that come in here."" It shows in the comfortable, friendly atmosphere that prevails as early as 6 a.m. every morning except Monday and as late as 3 a.m. Saturday morning.
448 S. Park St.
Between $7 and $9 a dozen.
Lane's is a full service bakery, with doughnuts inhabiting the shelves alongside cakes, loaves of bread and cookies. The taste of the doughnuts, though, reveals that they have not been overlooked among the bigger baked goods. The plain doughnut proved to be a misnomer, standing out by achieving the perfect featherweight texture and taste.
The chocolate-covered doughnut proved to possess the right flavor as well, but the custard-filled was a bit of a disappointment. Like at Greenbush, it was a little chewy and greasy, not achieving the lightness of the Donut Station. Also, employees recommended the Persian, their best seller, which is a cinnamon doughnut fried with peanuts on top.
Curators of a large group of regulars, Lane's was by far the busiest of all the bakeries visited, but service was provided quickly nonetheless due to efficient and quick workers. Lane's charges a reasonable 55 cents for regular doughnuts and 65 cents for filled. One drawback of Lane's, though, is that they do not offer the late hours that the Donut Station and Greenbush bakery do, closing at 6 p.m. during the week and 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Throughout Madison, doughnuts are available at more places than just bakeries. Just about every off-campus grocery store has its own bakery, producing quality doughnuts every day. The numerous Kohl's Food Stores and Sentry's in the area all fit this bill. Stay away from Capitol Centre Foods', 111 N. Broom St., doughnuts, though: Since shutting down their bakery last year to make more room for beer, they rely on Cuisine de France, a distributor of homogenous baked goods, to stock their shelves with pastry.
The Chocolate Shoppe, 211 State St., offers doughnuts of average quality and price, but their downtown location is more convenient than most other pastry purveyors.
Altogether, though, those seeking sure satiation would be better off heading to the Donut Station, Greenbush Bakery or Lane's for a cup of coffee and taste that won't disappoint.
