Donut Heaven

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On a recent early morning road trip in North Florida I found myself driving along a stretch of Gulf coast in Panama City Beach when hunger pains set in. Like a mirage in front of me, a funky food stand with glaring lights appeared in the hazy dawn. The big blue-and-white sign read: Thomas' Homemade Donuts (850.234.8039). I thought I died and went to heaven. So I pulled into the drive-in style parking lot and as I got out of the car, a waft of warm, delicious bakery aroma surrounded me. Inhaling it wasn't enough, when I approached the window my eyes turned bigger than my stomach just looking at the huge trays of fresh donuts hot out of the oven. Cake donuts, sugar-coated donuts, frosted donuts and 10 trays of raised donuts filled with peaches n' cream, blueberry, raspberry and other fillings I never imagined could be pumped into the sweet dough. But the big kahuna was the apple fritter--crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside with chunks of cinnamon-laced apples perfect for biting into and savoring. Who would've ever imagined finding this donut gem just steps from the beach?

Tags: food | Northwest | Panama City Beach