\’ fō-nut \
n: a faux donut, always baked…never fried.
origin: Los Angeles, CA
It’s only fitting that I’m writing this post on National Donut Day! And it’s NO Secret that I have a massive sweet tooth. Some enjoy salty, savory, cheesy and hearty foods. Me, anything coated in sugar calls out like a siren.
On my first day at work my boss brought in a dozen “fōnuts” to celebrate the hire. I was new to LA, new to being a “real adult” with a “real job” and new to the concept of a “fōnut…”
“What are fōnuts,” You ask? They are an “enlightened” version of the classic fried treat “donut”- but they’re baked instead of fried, and also gluten/guilt free. Fōnuts are made with low-to-no sugar added, organic ingredients, making me feel like I could enjoy them without the headache and tummyache that follows eating too much standard sugary donuty goodness. What I love about these sweet treats is that they taste so naturally flavored- they’re moist and cakey, melt in your mouth, and the real chunks of berries can be tasted with every bite. They’re not greasy.
Where did this magical unicorn of a healthy donut idea originate, you ask? Renowned pastry chef Waylynn Lucas and L.A. native voice-over actress Nancy Truman teamed together to become bakers-in-crime and created a dessert like never before.
Nancy realized how challenging it was to find a quality, all-natural gluten-free treat from her own experience as gluten-intolerant- so in the Summer of 2011 the first-ever “always baked, never fried, all-natural, gluten-free” fōnut shop debuted from the oven as a standing shop on West 3rd Street, in the Fairfax of Los Angeles.
Though the fōnuts shop has changed over the years in hours, experimented with new flavors and at one point even offered ice cream, the shop’s legacy has stood the test of time and is rarely open until its official closing time 5pm- be warned that it’s first come first served, and all of the flavors are usually sold out before 5!
Fōnuts offers the timeless flavors including classics chocolate and vanilla old fashioned, but also creates more adventurous treats like my personal favorite the blueberry earl grey flavor. The shop also bakes seasonal flavors like the “mixed summer berry” I bought myself to celebrate National Donut Day today.
The price point of a fōnut is higher than that of your typical donut, but the saying “you get what you pay for” seems to play true here in my opinion. Get ’em while you can! 😉
fō-nuts is located at 8104 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048 and is open every day from 8am-5pm (or until they sell out!)
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