Editorial
Front Page - Friday, February 4, 2011
River City Roundabout
Making Chattanooga a sweeter place to be
Erica Tuggle
Julie Darling’s Donuts, located on Frazier Avenue beside Chattanooga Electric Bikes, has a selection of donut flavors unheard of, but each one worth a try. Their famous DINA, a pancake and bacon donut, practically drips syrup, and the butterscotch donut is filled with a sweet, yellow cream reminiscent of its namesake hard candy.
- Erica Tuggle
I can’t say I’ve ever met a donut I didn’t like. Donuts are the perfect combination between cake (that sometimes is too heavy on icing) and pie (that has too much sweet filling). Another perk of donuts is the customization they lend themselves to. Creativity can completely revolutionize the average glazed donut into a “gourmet donut.” Some of the finest of these gourmet donuts are found at Julie Darling Donuts, located midway along Frazier Avenue.
Darling’s is approaching their one-year anniversary this February, and are still cranking out dozens of fresh and fun combinations that you can smell cooking as you drift all along Frazier. They’ve established themselves as a sweet place to be with their unique creations as well as lunch specials, Facebook deals and an eclectic atmosphere.
Past Wednesday deals they have offered include buy one dozen, get one dozen free donuts, discounted refills in mugs purchased at Julie Darling and bring a friend in combo deals.
Once inside Darling’s, there is much to see. There’s plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, and on the walls are records, pictures of famous retro icons like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, and there is a stone fireplace to snuggle beside with a good book and a great donut.
Speaking of donuts, these treats can be had as yeast donuts in plain, iced or filled variety with choices of raspberry, lemon, cream cheese, Bavarian crème, vanilla crème, chocolate cream, and more. They can be iced with multi-colored sprinkles, jellybeans, or coconut topping, to name a few. There’s also cake donuts in blueberry, sour cream, buttermilk, chocolate, plain cake or the seasonal spiced cake
We ordered an even dozen to try out a few of the most beloved of these pastries.
Butterscotch donut: It’s filled with yellow crème and is difficult to put down. A few bites and you wonder where it has gone to so quickly.
Blueberry cake: You can see the blueberries, you can taste the blueberries and you want more blueberry goodness.
Blueberry pie: With a gooey center of blueberry jelly and a frosted vanilla outside, this one is very sweet, but a good imitation of real blueberry pie.
Pancakes and bacon (The Dina): This signature Darling donut is a personal favorite. It features a maple donut covered in bacon bits. It’s good for breakfast, good for lunch and good for dinner.
Sour cream: Heat up this simple, little donut for a delightful dessert reminiscent of grandma’s homemade pound cakes.
Cinnamon cake: If you enjoy the taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, this donut’s for you. Add a glass of milk for the complete package.
Granny’s Apple Pie: Take away the pie shell and add fried dough to this all American donut, and you’ve got a new favorite way to get your daily serving of fruit.
Peach, lemon, or key lime filled: Take your pick of filling. There’s no wrong choice. All fillings are fresh in these daily made donuts.
Na Na Pudding: This special of the day was made with creamy banana pudding filling and topped with crumbled vanilla wafers. It’s nothing you’ve ever seen before, but is something you’ll want to see again and again.
Cake Glaze: It’s traditional, simple, safe and delicious.
Of course, there’s no wrong choice when you choose a donut from Darling’s. Even with the multitude of choices in the dozen we tried, there were still more to choose from like the Red Velvet, the Bavarian crème and the Oreo.
Darling’s also offers donut decorating birthday parties to let a special honoree and guests decorate their own donuts at the icing table. This package includes donuts, drinks, plates, napkins and their retro-themed building, so no clean up is necessary.
If you are looking to put a spin on the traditional party cake, go for a Julie Darling Donut Cake. Just tell them how many you are feeding and they will try to accommodate what colors and flavors you could like on this new and trendy donut creation.
Darling’s guarantees a fresh donut any time you come in, and says in fact there is a chance you might even get to see your donut being made. The staff is extremely helpful, and willing to let customers try any donuts they may be unsure of. I even had a Darling show me her signature silly face as we filled the donut box.
Julie Darling’s is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday through Satur-day, they are open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sunday, they are closed. Like Julie Darling’s on Facebook to keep up-to-date with the weekly deals and what’s cooking, drop by early in the morning or afternoon for extra fresh donuts, and be sure to give these bakers a hand for making Chattanooga a sweeter place to be.
Email Erica Tuggle at reporter@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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