Question: Which state claims to be the birthplace of the modern donut?
Answer: The donut’s origins can be traced to Dutch immigrants in seventeenth-century New York, who made fried dough balls called olykoeks, or “oily cakes.” The modern donut, featuring a ring shape, was created in the mid-nineteenth century when a captain from Rockport, Maine, used a tin pepper box to remove the center of the cake. This change not only improved the texture but also allowed him to skewer the pastry on the ship’s wheel, freeing up his hands. The invention became popular, leading to the donuts being sold around town, and is now celebrated annually at the Rockport Donut Festival.
