NOTE TO ANDY, JOEY, AARON, JANET, CAROLYN AND ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS FOND MEMORIES OF DOUGHNUTS AND SLEDDING ON HOLMES ROAD: SHARE YOUR MEMORIES WITH US! LEAVE THEM AS A COMMENT SO WE CAN ALL REMINISCE WITH YOU.
Making doughnuts when it snows is a tradition my Grandma and Grandpa Ford started years ago (WAY before I was born). My mom says when they lived in Oklahoma, Grandma always made popcorn balls when it rained and doughnuts when it snowed. Both were a treat. Once they moved to the Memphis area, it rained often. So, the popcorn balls became a treat they made from time to time, but doughnuts when it snowed didn't change.
When they moved to Holmes Road in the Whitehaven section of Memphis, the tradition of doughnuts stood, but they added sledding to the tradition. It was the perfect place to sled. The house was at the end of a long drive. Not only was it long, but it had 2 HUGE hills. You went down one hill, then immediately up the next. For sledding this was great. I was in elementary school when Grandma moved from that house (and in with us) and the sledding ended. I have a few memories of it, but my parents, aunts, uncles and older cousins have many, many more.
Even once Grandma moved in with us in Franklin, she continued to make doughnuts if it snowed. As she got older, she griped a little more each time and eventually handed the duties over to the rest of us. When I moved out and we got our own house, I have continued the tradition. I have spoiled many friends in Winchester with the "hot sign" when it snowed.
Every time I make doughnuts I wish they weren't so "heavy". Light, airy and fluffy was always the goal, but never the end product. (Now, don't be deceived by this, we ate them anyway.) The last several times I have made them, I have tried to find a new recipe that claimed to be light, airy and/or fluffy. None of them held true to that.
When I heard we were expecting snow this week, I started looking and researching new recipes (again) that would be "Krispy Kreme-ish" (I know, I know, I set my goals high. Heath reminds me of this all of the time. But, if I am going to make doughnuts, why would I not want to make them as light, delicious and wonderful as Krispy Kreme's?) So, after staying up way too late looking online, I found a website that claimed to have lighter doughnuts. He also gives reasons why homemade doughnuts tend to be so heavy. Here is his site (I am not going to repeat all of the info).
These doughnuts were the best I have made, but still could stand to be better. But, really what matters is that my kids know when it snows to expect doughnuts, because that is what Grandma would do. And I got to spend a wonderful day in the kitchen with my sweet Caroline, who so loves to help cook (and eat...she gets this really honest. I apologize to her daily for her appetite. Of all things to pass along to my kids, my appetite would have been my last choice! Caroline got a FULL dose of a HEARTY appetite.) Spending a snow day in the kitchen with my daughter, following a family tradition, these are the important things in life. Then, having doughnut holes to eat, just a major plus!