BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. — In the morning, as the moon sets on Bainbridge Island before these sprinkled, honey glazed and salted chocolate beauties go into the case, there's already a line forming at Pleasant Beach Donuts.
"Yeah, it's kinda been a semi-regular occurrence, the line. It was actually the most encouraging sign that we were onto something,” said Joe Raymond, General Manager of Pleasant Beach Village.
Okay, forgive us for doing another donut story.
But there's something about these donuts that's truly different.
"We were really sort of keen on the idea of sourdough because you don't really see that with a raised or yeasted donut,” explained Pleasant Beach chef Joe Benish.
Turns out, developing a sourdough donut is difficult — in a good way.
“Trial and error, trial and error, trial and error,” Benish said.
“Ate a lot of donuts, we'll say that,” added Chris Haberstock, sous chef and proud member of the donut development team.
This business was born because of COVID.
The chefs pivoted to making donuts when the restaurants here had to scale back because of the pandemic.
Why donuts? Because they're the perfect snack for — we’ll say it — unprecedented times.
"It's really comforting, it's one of those foods that you can't go wrong with when you're feeling down and need a pick-me-up,” Haberstock said.
Since sourdough takes a long time to rise, the dough is made with a naturally yeasted starter the day before, then proofed, then given a second rise before the donuts are fried fresh the morning they're sold. And the taste?
"This donut's very unique in the mouthfeel, it's got a nice chew to it, and then the sourdough flavor really comes out in the end,” Haberstock said.
Lines don't lie. These not-too-sweet sourdough donuts are a big hit on the Island.
Sourdough isn't the only thing setting these donuts apart.
The bakery is just a block from this saltwater beach — a perfect place to picnic with a box full of treats.
And don't worry if you don't want to hop on ferry to find them.
Every Wednesday through Sunday you can find Pleasant Beach Donuts in Seattle at a pop-up along Sand Point Way — from 8:30 a.m. until they're gone.
And there's one last thing that sets these donuts apart, according to the men who make them. It has to do with sourdough anything being good for gut health. We'll let you take this or leave it:
“We personally feel like they digest a little better, you can eat more of them and not feel as guilty,” smiled Benish.
However many you eat in one sitting, these donuts are taking the sourdough trend to the next level.
And we are here for it.
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