In the history of time there are a few moments of brilliance that stand out in my mind. Newton discovers gravity. Galileo proclaims that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Einstein develops the theory of relativity. May I add one more? James St. Peter decides to put a donut in the freezer. You always thought the only good donuts were advertised behind a glowing neon “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign. Well, you were wrong. Mind, prepare to be blown.
You can’t stop reading now.
Nothing gets me more excited than scouting out the weekly specials conjured up by Mr. St. Peter, AKA the Mad Scientist of Donuts. James knows no bounds when it comes to concocting this city’s most adventurous pastries. But in my opinion, perhaps his finest creation yet is the stunningly beautiful “High in the Mountains.” I drive nearly an hour…at 7 AM…on the weekend… for his donuts, and not once have I ever regretted it.
The “High in the Mountains” takes James’ delicately sweet and slightly sticky glazed donut, sliced in half, filled with creamy strawberry frosting and juicy sliced strawberries, and topped with more strawberry frosting and a drizzle of chocolate. The entire thing is chilled and served cold. I don’t really know all the magic that goes on behind closed doors to give this donut its wonderful flavor or textural profile, but the finished product is truly a work of art. The strawberry and chocolate topping is slightly hardened yet the inside remains soft and smooth. The donut itself and the strawberries remain incredibly fresh without even a hint of freezer-burn.
Nowadays, everyone is trying to find ways to “beat the heat.” People are really starting to lose their minds out there. So, before you decide to cook and eat bacon in your car, take a trip back to reality and pick up a piece of real American ingenuity from Hypnotic Donuts. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to see when this little gem rears its beautiful head again on the menu. And perhaps, with enough gentle requests to James, we can see it there a little more often.
