“Doughnut” was one of the first words I uttered as a child. My pronunciation was a little off, and it sounded like I was saying “da-deeee.” But my parents quickly learned as I pointed to a doughnut that either I was attempting to say “doughnut,” or I believed that a doughnut was my father. Doughnuts remain one of my favorite foods of all time. It’s partly the childhood memories of my doughnut, I mean…father, bringing home doughnuts as a treat on weekend mornings, as I dreamed of one day working in a doughnut shop. But maybe it’s the way the doughnut holds its shape just right; not quite letting on its airiness, so that when you take a bite, it deflates, allowing you to fit a good half doughnut in your mouth when you didn’t think you could fit nearly that much.

The history of doughnuts in America begins with Washington Irving describing Dutch settlers’ doughnut-like dish in New Amsterdam (that’s New York) in the early 19th century. We have the “donut model” explanation of the Big Bang. A “donut” in the trunk of your car will save your ass if you break down. Teenagers derive great pleasure in doing “donuts” — round skids on the street. Doughnuts have also figured prominently on the Simpsons. These are just a few of the useful, or at least entertaining things about doughnuts. But why the new found regard and attention to my favorite food the doughnut? Maybe it’s the culturally pervasive tendency to examine single food items in pleasurably obsessive detail. But Mark Israel, the Moses of doughnuts and owner of Doughnut Plant recently said, “Doughnuts have kind of gone through a renaissance.” Given the popularity of chain doughnut stores, non-traditional doughnuts like those from Doughnut Plant, as well as the appearance of doughnuts on many restaurant dessert menus in the last several years, he may be right. Plus with the upcoming trans fat ban affecting many of our favorite foods, New York City foodspotters may have a renewed appreciation for the humble doughnut.

Me? I like doughnuts of all kinds (except Boston creme). My love for doughnuts is so boundless that I’ll sometimes, in shameful measure, purchase and consume stale doughnuts from a plastic case in an interstate service station. But I also enjoy the sophisticated, trendy flavors of Doughnut Plant doughnuts like the Valrhona chocolate or Tres Leches. Nevertheless, it had been some time since I visited an old-fashioned doughnut shop. So, I ventured out to Shaikh’s Place, a low-key coffee shop on Avenue U. Shaikh’s Place offers dozens of flavors of doughnuts, but on Superbowl Sunday, they had a relatively small array of the classics. In a brown paper bag that became good and greasy, I brought home a classic jelly, an iced doughnut with a blueberry jam center, a chocolate glazed with sprinkles and the wild card, an apple-filled doughnut with a cinnamon crumb topping. (I was told the apple doughnut was apricot, but the surprise was a pleasant one). Open 24 hours a day, Shaikh’s delivers everything you remember and desire in a doughnut. They’re light, fresh and moist and just the right proportions to be held and eaten with a half-sized deli napkin. And you can get 4 or 5 for the price of one from Doughnut Plant. Yes, I love my beignets, churros, bear claws, sufganiyots, munchkins, crullers, rosaquillas, berliners and zeppoles, but there are few foods I find more pleasurable than a Shaikh’s doughnut.

Shaikh’s Place
1503 Avenue U

Note: There’s a lot of quality doughnut journalism out there these days. Check out an excellent doughnut roundup on Serious Eats as well as the “Indie Do(ough)-nut Roundup” in Edible Brooklyn written by the voice behind Blognut, a web site about doughnuts that, not surprisingly, is one of my favorite food blogs.

Originally posted on Until Monday: Brooklyn.