Have you heard... A funny thing happened to me on the way home from the podiatrist.

Even while we are living in the throes of this soft lock down, I find that it is still necessary to leave the house for certain things.  Medical care would be one of those things .  I will venture to not cross a TMI barrier when I share that I recently required the services of a podiatrist.  At the time I scheduled the original appointment, the only one available the next day was in nearby Delaware, Ohio.  The next morning I jumped in the car and did what 72 percent of all smart phone users do - I consulted Google Maps for the best possible route to the podiatrist's office.  Then I immediately did what maybe 34 percent of smart phone users do - I promptly ignored Google's advice and picked a different route.  I would do this for the route to the office and the route back home.  I know it is shocking, but I can be a maverick like that sometimes.  Since I was driving, I didn't really take in the sights on that trip.  Kept my focus on the road where it belongs.

Just today though, I had to return for a follow-up appointment and my lovely wife was available to go with me.  She didn't really need to go with me, but she is the safer driver in our household.  So I never pass up a chance to ride shotgun with her instead of driving.  This arrangement also allows me to check out the scenery more easily.  She decided it was okay to ignore Google Maps again and find our own way there and back.  Luckily the return route took us past a heretofore undiscovered donut shop in Delaware  - The Dipped Donut.  They were open for carryout, so we just had to stop in.

As we wandered home from Delaware...
We saw a sign...

 In case I haven't mentioned it previously, I am not the biggest fan of cake style donuts.  Especially when they are vanilla cake only.  I mean, if I am going to have to "suffer" through a cake donut, I at least want the option of blueberry or chocolate.  If I am really lucky - red velvet.  (yummmmmm)  There are several donut shops around Columbus that specialize in vanilla cake donuts custom-made with a cornucopia of icings, drizzles, and other toppings.  They make your donuts while you watch.  It seems I am in a small minority when I say these places typically don't rev up my palate.  At.  All. 

I am not sure I really deserve a donut, but
if they say I do...  I choose to believe them.

Fortunately, The Dipped Donut kicks this model up a notch.  They offered us vanilla and chocolate cake donuts plus insanely huge cinnamon rolls.  All three could be topped with our choice of icings, drizzles, and toppings.  Judging by the number of orders that were waiting for pickup when we arrived, they have a dedicated following.  Since this was our first visit, we had to buy a sampling worthy of a blog post.  We opted for a half dozen donuts - three for me and three for my sweetest - and two cinnamon rolls.  Our combinations are not particularly over the top, but I am curious to see if anyone can guess which donuts are mine and which are hers?  Please put your guesses in the comments section.  We will share the cinnamon rolls.  Couldn't decide whether maple or caramel icing was the better choice.  Jury is still out as of this posting.  We will have them for dessert later.  Look for the final word in a future post.  I am pretty sure we will be going back.  The donuts were beyond scrumptious and the service was incredibly friendly and efficient - at the appropriate social distance, of course. (chuckle) 

Six delicious icings...

12 delicious toppings...  just in this photo...
Even more not in this photo...

Let the games begin... 
Which are mine?  Which are hers?

I will close with a funny story about what happened after the donut pickup.  Beth decided she wanted to hit the drive-thru at a Starbucks along our route.  We turned into the parking lot and joined at the back of the line of cars that snaked around the building.  The order screen was about halfway along the back of the building and the serving window was on the far side of the building.  These seemingly unimportant details loom large near the end of the story.  The line was long, but appeared to be moving reasonably quickly.  I said out loud "no big deal since we are not in a hurry."  Probably waited 10 minutes before we made it to the order screen as the person in front of us seemed to take a particularly long time to place their order.  Or at least we thought that they were placing a big order.  We pulled up to the speaker and waited for a Starbucks associate to greet us.  After a pregnant silence, my wife noticed a paper flyer taped to the speaker stand.  It was not thoroughly fastened, so the edges of the paper had curled up and were constantly blowing in the wind.  Made it nearly impossible to read the flyer.  She was eventually able to read it when the wind stopped ever so briefly. Turns out the flyer indicated this Starbucks location was only open from noon to 7:00 pm today.  It wasn't even 11:00 yet.  So a bunch of people, ourselves included, waited in the drive-thru line at Starbucks when they weren't even open. 

In our collective defense:

1.   There was zero signage at the entrance indicating they were 
      closed,
2.   The hastily attached 'hours open' sign posted on the speaker 
      tower made it nearly impossible to read,
3.   The service window on the far side of the building wasn't 
      visible while we waited in line (so we didn't see that multiple 
      cars drove away empty handed).

All these factors conspired against us and also those that came after us.  The line was even longer when we drove away than it was when we arrived.  We wondered aloud whether the line would continue like that until the store was actually open?   Had we just been punked or maybe unknowingly been part of some sociological research? Either way...  We had fresh donuts in the car and I felt it was best not to linger. 

Pray that you continue to stay safe and healthy as this pandemic wears on.  Have a Happy Easter.   

Your Dining Scout and Shadetree Chef,
Michael Hurd - aka Big Mike

The Dipped Donut 
256 S Sandusky Street
Delaware, OH
740.957.8100
https://www.thedippeddonut.com/