Ode to Krispy Kreme Donuts

OK, I usually try to eat a reasonably healthy diet but sometimes you have to throw health out the window and enjoy a great junk food. For me that has always been a hot Krispy Kreme glazed donut. I remember (many) years ago when I dated a woman that lived in Northern Virginia and was introduced to something Southerners had secretly kept below the Mason Dixon line---Krispy Kreme donuts. Now I don't want to say that I married her for the donuts but I did need to reward her for introducing me to these donuts.

You could imagine my delight when Krispy Kreme started to open stores in Maryland in the 1990's even though to get the fresh hot donuts you had to go to the store in Timonium. I even had a co-worker who commuted to Columbia from Timonium and would bring a dozen donuts with him every Wednesday to share with the office. He always arrived around 8:45 and most of our office would wait near the break area around 8:40 to be sure to get one of those 12 donuts. 15 seconds in the microwave and they would melt in your mouth.

You can only imagine my delight when a store was opened next to the Red Robin in Columbia a few years ago. After eating at Red Robin dessert was always some glazed donuts from Krispy Kreme. I used to plan my long Saturday run to pass the Krispy Kreme store just so I could smell the donuts being made. You never knew when the odor from the store would hit you because it depended on which way the wind was blowing that day. I used to envy the townhouses across the street from the store who got that donut smell every day. A few years ago when we looked at downsizing to a smaller house I instantly thought of those townhouses and even looked at one that came on the market. As crazy as I was to live across the street, the cramped living space of those units made me reluctantly rule a purchase out.

So you can imagine my shock one day to see that the store was closed and boarded up. Unfortunately Krispy Kreme timed their large expansion in stores to a time when low carb diets and healthy eating was changing the diet of many of us baby boomers who were fighting the battle of the aging bulge. So I say a fond farewell to the sweet odor of donuts being made on my Saturday runs and a "little taste of donut heaven." Krispy Kreme you will be missed. Anyone going to Northern Virginia soon?