Goats Cheese, Mint + Orange Zest

I love food. Obviously. And so it goes without saying that I love doughnuts. So when my favourite doughnut shoppe, Jelly Modern Doughnuts, had a contest to celebrate their 1 year anniversary, I was all over it. It took me a while to think of the perfect flavour to enter in their "create your own doughnut" contest. The stakes were high (at least they would have been if my life were a sitcom, but it isn't, so really the stakes weren't that high). I read through the list of all of the other flavours, considering each one. And then, on the final day for submissions, I committed to my single entry. 

Goats Cheese, Mint + Orange Zest.

And then, with the help of my friends, the OMC (an online mommy group that I am a part of) and my family, we voted. And voted. And voted. And it turns out, I made the top two!

The top four entries were invited to create their doughnut with Chef Grayson at the 1st Birthday party that was held on Saturday. I was up against some stiff competition: Dark Chocolate Chilli, Vanilla Almond & Cappuccino Crunch (mmmm). I honestly didn't think that my "under-dog" doughnut would win. Especially when comments like "gross" were being Tweeted in reply to the announcement of my doughnut. I had to laugh, but also wondered if I would be the only person in the world who would appreciate a Goats Cheese, Mint + Orange Zest doughnut.

I was nervous (I hate being in front of people, I prefer to be behind a keyboard) and beet red. Or is it beat red. Anyway, I was red. My Mother-In-Law and Father-In-Law showed up to sit front & centre... and we took Miles along for the day*. Turns out, once I got past my nerves, I had a great time & learned a lot about doughnuts... and candied Orange Mint.

Four fabulous local celebs tried the doughnuts & I came out on top. Which was cool, but being a big fan of John Gilchrist, it was really only his 'approval' on my combination that I was looking for (Umm, sounds like I have father issues?). I got it. His review was amazing & the look on his face was satisfying. I also fell in love (platonically...or....?) with Gwendolyn Richards, a food writer for the Calgary Herald.

I didn't know there was a prize. Ranny had asked me & I told him that for a chubby girl, having your doughnut made WAS the prize. But it turns out there was, and I was wrong, a ONE YEAR SUPPLY OF FREE DOUGHNUTS (yep, that deserved to be all in caps) was the prize. Rock on.

For a stay at home mom, who's highlight of her day is cooking dinner...this was heaven. Not the prize, not the doughnuts, the day. The day was so much fun. And I am in love with Jelly Modern Doughnuts more now than I was before.

*Miles ate 5 doughnuts. Oh shut up! Don't you judge me. He had a pink anniversary doughnut, a maple bacon doughnut, a creamsicle doughnut, a handful of samples and a doughnut that he decorated himself (And it was a freakin' work of art if I may say so). I could actually see the rise.....and then the dramatic crash & burn that was followed by a sugar induced coma.