So, today is National Doughnut Day. Krispy Kremes are offering one free doughnut per customer. Dunkin’ Donuts is giving away a free doughnut with the purchase of a beverage.

Sounds like a friviolous event, right? According to the Wikipedia entry, the day’s origins are a bit more grim:

National Doughnut Day started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army. Their goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honor the Salvation Army “Lassies” of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers behind the front lines in France.

Soon after the US entrance into WWI in 1917, the Salvation Army sent a fact-finding mission to France. The mission concluded that “huts” that could serve baked goods, provide writing supplies and stamps, and provide a clothes-mending service, would serve the needs of US enlisted men. Six staff members per hut should include four female volunteers who could “mother” the boys.

(The canteens/social centres that were established by the Salvation Army in the United States near army training centers were called “huts”.)

About 250 Salvation Army volunteers went to France. Because of the difficulties of providing freshly-baked goods from huts established in abandoned buildings near to the front lines, two Salvation Army volunteers (Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance) came up with the idea of providing doughnuts. These are reported to have been an “instant hit”, and “soon many soldiers were visiting Salvation Army huts”. Margaret Sheldon wrote of one busy day “Today I made 22 pies, 300 doughnuts, 700 cups of coffee.”

A legend has spread that the provision of doughnuts to U.S. enlisted men in WWI is the origin of the term doughboy to describe US infantry, but the term was in use as early as the Mexican-American War of 1846-47.

How accurate is that? It’s Wikipedia, for crying out loud. Like a doughnut, lots of their offerings have holes in them, too.

As you might expect, especially if you know me, I am a big fan of doughnuts. I’m even what you might describe as being pro-doughnut, bordering on the fringe of a qualifying as a doughnut activist.

My friends and colleagues are well aware of my proclivities.

That’s my dear friend Pat. She gave me a giant maple glazed doughnut for my birthday six years ago. I considered keeping it as a souvenir, a delicious keepsake of sorts. Then I ate it.

As a doughnut activist, I advocate on behalf of all doughnuts. Chain donuts as well as those which come from independent shops are equal in my eyes. Convenience store doughnuts, vending machine doughnuts. Even the waxy chocolate doughnuts you get at the grocery store that taste like plastic evil. They’re all good. I believe in letting the consumer decide what it is that they care to consume.

Why, yes, that is a sombrero in the background. And I am wearing beads. Thanks for asking. It was Gasparilla and Super Bowl week. I lost my mind a little.

But I digress.

In the interest of furthering doughnut education, the good folks at Hostess would like you to know:

* Hostess produces over 2 billion donuts per year including all of the brand’s varieties.  That’s enough Hostess Donuts to wrap around the Earth three times. 

* Hostess uses over 10 million pounds of powdered sugar a year and 10 million pounds of chocolate a year making Hostess Donuts. 

* Louisville is the Donut “capital” of the U.S. Louisvillians eat more donuts per capita than people in any other U.S. city. Louisville’s favorite flavor donut is chocolate.

* The top five donut-loving cities are: Cincinnati, Ohio; Roanoke, Va.; Knoxville, Tenn; Indianapolis, Ind.;

* The creation of the donut’s “hole” is thought to have been the solution to the dilemma that appeared to plague early donut makers - having an undercooked center when the cakes were removed from the fryer.

* Hostess Donuts were first launched in the 1930s.

* America’s favorite donut flavor is glazed, followed by chocolate, powdered sugar and plain.

Although I do not discriminate, I will admit to preferring doughnuts made by independent stores over those manufactured by corporate retailers. It’s a thing about me. Sorry.

My favorite place used to be Brookhaven Donuts on Brandon Boulevard in Brandon. We’d get them for birthdays, Christmas morning, Arbor Day, you name it. When they went out of business a few years ago, our family wore black arm bands for a month. I took a photo of the eviction notice posted on the door. My soul died a little.

Which is why I was overjoyed last month to see that Fray’s had opened another Donut House on Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park in addition to their spot on 16th Street in St. Petersburg.

I dropped in on my way back to Tampa from the Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival, taking the long way home in case, you know, I bumped into any doughnut shops.

I went in, only to find it was the grand opening day. I ordered a couple doughnuts for the ride home. The woman behind the counter - I think her name was Chris - instead loaded the box with a ton of pastries. Bear claws. creme horns. Fritters. And since it was late in the day, she didn’t charge me extra. I felt like I had won the lottery. The creme horn didn’t make it to the Gandy Bridge. Poor thing never stood a chance.

Other great indy doughnut spots in the area:

* Lighthouse Donuts on Indian Rocks Beach - It’s a great place to stop on the way home from the beach. Did you know doughnuts relieve sunburn? You can look it up.

* Hole In One on Florida Avenue in Tampa - These come closest to the Krispy Kremes I love so much. Dare I say that they’re… better? I dare not. But it’s worth a trip for a dozen so you can make the comparison. They also have a store on Alexander Street in Plant City.

* Nicola’s on Busch Boulevard in Tampa - Get their early. When they’re out of doughnuts, they’re closed. The PB&J donuts might as well be vapor. They last about that long.

* Donut Connection on 34th Street in St. Pete - I think the building used to be a Mister Donut. Great place for early morning people watching. I freaked out once when I saw they had doughnut French toast. Enough said.

* Goldstar Donut Shop on Whitfield Avenue in Sarasota - The glazed doughnuts here are huge. Massive. Too big to fail. In the event of a water landing, the cinnamon buns could be used as a flotation device.

Why do I love indy doughnut shops? Because sometimes you get lucky like Anthony Bourdain and you find one like Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, Ore. (Can you say NyQuil Doughnut? How about Pepto Doughnut?):