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Have you been to any other donut shops in Chengdu? There is a bakery on my street Yulin XiLu（玉林西路) that sells pretty good pastries. It is run by a Portuguese baker.
I will check it out, we have a fantastic selection of authentic french pastries every day. They are made by my friend Florian fresh each morning.
I have been to Lozzi and Crazy Donuts they were both terrible. I kept thinking if they weren’t called donut shops, if instead they were just called “ring biscuit shops with soy glaze” that maybe I would have liked them more.
lol this is awesome.
Peanut Butter Captain Crunch donut with Skippy peanut butter, chocolate mousse and cereal topping.
This sounds heavenly. Where’s that glazed chocolate cake donut that you promised me?
We made chocolate cake donuts before the new year, they will be back next week! I’ve been busy working on milkshakes and fresh juice.
Imagine your wife/girlfriend changing bodies with your own mother. You have to fuck one to get them back to normal. Would you choose your mother’s body with your girlfriend’s mind? Or your girlfriend’s body who is now your mother?
A serious question like this deserves a serious answer. I want to start by thanking you Vincent for bringing up an issue as divisive and important as this one. I have spent many hours pondering a way to approach this sensitive matter with the respect it deserves. I am sure this must be something you may actually be experiencing now and for that I do not envy you. I can’t imagine how someone could just think up a hypothetical scenario so specific without having gone through something similar.
I’m getting ahead of myself, so lets start at the beginning. In order answer your question I think you need to know more about my mother. Her name is Susan, she was born on August, 5th 1955 to parents Mary O. and Allen. As the youngest of 5 children she was artistic and creative from the second she opened her eyes for the first time. They moved around a lot during her childhood, throughout the south, Bogalusa Louisiana, eventually settling in the Pacific Northwest. You see my grandfather Allen, or Papa as we called him was a chemical engineer for a pulp and paper mill. After fighting in 2 wars he returned, graduated and went to work to raise his new family. My mother spent her formative years in singing, dancing and performing. She finished high school and enrolled in the University of Washington. The majority of the family being originally from Oregon City, Oregon are Oregon State Alumni but my mother was different. She took every class possible short of math and science which she never had much interest in and stopped just short of graduating with a music major. She had grown tired of the droll of university and was looking to make it big in the entertainment industry a dream that would continue for many years after my birth. She is smart, focused and driven to this day however she never made it to broadway. I was born when she was 31 and my sister 4 years later. As a child I couldn’t appreciate her quick wit and show stopping personality. I was always so embarrassed when she would talk to strangers in the check out lines or sing at a show I was forced to attend. Things I now appreciate and miss so much in our distance from one another. Strange to think that now it’s me who is talking to strangers, always in front of an audience of customers; now I’m the one dreaming of a TV cooking show in China. Funny how age changes us, as time passes it distills down all things we feel are the most important to those that actually are. When I left to China to start this new chapter in my life, I didn’t fear the friends I may lose touch with or the culture shock of a new country. I was so scared someone I loved back home would get sick, that something out of my control would happen and I would be so far away I would be unable to, at the very least, console and help rebuild. Just as I feared my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer two months ago, I am so thankful we have now since had a successful surgery and she is cancer free. Regardless of the final result I was reminded of our own finality, such an important reminder in this fragile time.
Considering the fact I am currently without a wife or girlfriend I feel I should list out some of the characteristics I would look for in one. Perhaps my feeling on the institution of marriage if time allows.
True love is the souls recognition of its counterpoint in another. I don’t know, in hindsight, if I have ever achieved such a thing. I have been in many relationships, some spanning years however we always end up growing tired, restless and eventually growing apart. I would be a fool to suggest that I played no part in the decline of my past unions.
If I could list the characteristics of my “perfect girl” I would want her to be independent, strong willed and creative. Passionate would be nice as well, perhaps talented in one way or another, someone always willing to get up and go but also satisfied watching a movie at home. She has to drink but I would hope she wouldn’t smoke. I think I would benefit from someone who could mellow me out a bit, help me find my calm. Even if I found a girl with all of these traits I am afraid I couldn’t see her in my current headspace. I guess I’m not ready to settle down right now, as I near 30 i wonder if I will be Chengdu’s most eligible bachelor forever. If I don’t settle down soon it isn’t all bad to be a playboy for a bit longer is it?
Anyway I’m sure I answered your question somewhere in there, that was a pretty long response. Thanks for asking! Sorry for the slow reply, let’s keep this thing going!
Who is your favourite actor and actress? What is your favourite movie of all time? Which animations did you enjoy watching most growing up?
Favorite actor: Matthew McConaughey or Christian Bale probably.
Actress: Glenn Close or Anne Hathaway
Favorite movie: Maybe Wedding Crashers or The Fast and the Furious
Animations: I love Disney’s The Emperors New Groove, anything pixar but those are newer. G.I. Joe, Franklin the Turtle, Thundercats, Transformers, Pretty much anything on PBS it hard to remember all of them right this second.
How many donuts does it take to change a light bulb?
I don’t think I have reached the level of donutlightenment necessary to answer that question.
Great idea.
- Where did you get started making donuts?
- How difficult is it to find ingredients to make special donuts here? Which ingredients are most difficult to find?
- Where are the best donuts on earth made? Where have you had your favorite donut, and what type was it?
- Do you design your own unique donuts? If so, how do you do this and how much experimentation do you have to do before landing on something that works?
- How has Chengdu responded to your donut shop so far? Any surprises?
Thanks man! I’ll answer the questions in order:
1. Youtube mostly but I apprenticed under a french baker in Las Vegas when I was 18
2. Maple extract is pretty much impossible to find, we have looked everywhere. Some of the other ingredients were tough too like donut sugar, the kind that looks like powdered sugar but doesn’t melt.
3. The best donuts on earth? I think the best donuts are the ones that hold a nostalgia for the individual, for me, maybe Ron’s donuts in Las Vegas, they are the quintessential american donut shop run by an old asian couple. The donuts are simple, none of these crazy fusion flavors like Voodoo (in Portland) has. Just donuts, done right. I like the apple fritter, and the cinnamon twist. I hope that my shop becomes that for some of the customers who have had their first donut with me. One of my favorite things about having this shop is standing over the counter, eating hot donuts fresh from the frier and talking with whoever is in front of me. Every one is equal when the walk through the door, we all want one thing. Something sweet to escape to for a moment.
4. There is a surprisingly large amount of trial and error, I am always thinking about new donuts to add the the growing menu and my french colleague who makes the best pastries in Chengdu keeps me on my toes by adding new stuff all the time. It’s nice to have a bit of friendly competition.
5. The response has been absolutely humbling, locals have totally embraced what we are doing here. Foreigners love having another piece of home in Chengdu. I think the biggest surprise is the number of people who recognize me already after just 5 months of living in the Du. I can’t wait to see what the future brings and I am so grateful for everything and everyone so far.
Have you ever been in a speedboat?
Once when I was a small kid but I don’t really remember, I can’t wait till I’m donut rich so I can buy a jet ski… I heard it’s all throttle!
any plans for future events or anything?
Yes, I am buying a beer pong table for my house, looking to do some BBQ’s and or CD Listening parties over the summer. Would like to do a quiz night (Gary if you’re reading this, I would love to host at the underground)
or your favorite spotify radio station (I think I seen you using spotify in there)? My question is: why do kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch (and will you ever incorporate breakfast cereals into any of your donuts)? I saw you had some pink frosting and heart shaped donuts for Valentine’s Day. You planning on any other themed ‘nuts? Thanks for doing this Johnny, really cool idea! Here’s Johnny 5’s listing on Chengdu Places.
My favorite playlist right now is Hipster Coffee Shop, check it out Hipster Coffee Shop.
I love cinnamon toast crunch, when I was a kid we were really poor and could only afford the cereal in a giant bag. I believe it was called “Crunchy Cinnamon Toasters”. It was terrible, when I got older and rich I would eat a box of Reeses Peanut Butter Puffs a day.
Right now we have a Peanut Butter Captain Crunch donut with Skippy peanut butter, chocolate mousse and cereal topping.
For St. Pattys day everything will be green!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Vincent wrote:</div>
How many calories are in your donuts?Really? What about favorite tunes for listening while working?
In the mornings I listen to Fall Out Boy and Blink 182, my favorite bands from high school. I will also pepper in some Jeezy, Kanye, Lil Wayne, Birdman… Mostly “Pusha music.” All of that on max volume, during the day I listen to mostly Indi stuff and whatever is on the chill list on Spotify.
How much is your cheapest donut? How much is your most expensive donut? How many calories are in your donuts?
-Cheapest: 10 rmb
-Most expensive: 20 rmb (88 rmb donut coming but having some setbacks harnessing the lightning for the topping)
-Calories: Depends on how many donuts you consume, the more you eat the more you burn by chewing.
