Here's to the Donut Stop

If you're into your third doughnut by now, don't feel guilty. Not that you would if you typically eat three doughnuts. But today is National Doughnut Day. So pig out.

So here I am this morning eating a scone? Seems un-American, but I didn't know how special today was. But the day is not over yet either.

I've been to Boston twice in the last five years, and you can't go five feet in any direction without tripping over a Dunkin' Donuts. They are everywhere. Think there's a lot of Toot 'n Totums in Amarillo? Double that and you'll have the density of Dunkin' Donuts in New England. Yes, that's an odd mixture, Dunkin' Donuts and the Boston Marathon. But it's a big city.

I can remember two Dunkin' Donuts in Amarillo. It seems there was one on Western and one on Amarillo Blvd. But that was a long time ago.

Now, of course, Rosemartha Cates has seven Donut Stops in Amarillo and one in Canyon. They make a doughnut the way a doughnut should taste, fluffy and flavorful. And, of course, they essentially ran Krispy Kreme and their much overrated way-too-sweet doughnut restaurant out of town. I'll always remember the plucky Donut Stop for doing that.

There's a list online of the top doughnut places in America:

1. Fritelli's Doughnuts and Coffee (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
2. Sweeteater's Donut Mill (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
3. Randy's Donuts (Inglewood, Calif.)
4. Cafe Du Monde (New Orleans)
5. Top Pot Coffee and Doughnuts (Seattle).
6. Doughnut Plant (New York).
7. Voodoo Doughnuts (Portland)
8. Round Rock Donuts (Round Rock, Texas, near Austin).
9. Kane's Donuts (Saugus, Mass.)
10. Coffee an' Donut Shop (Westport, Conn.)

Amarillo's Donut Stop ought to be in the top 10. Rosemartha needs a publicist.