While the financial world was focused on Burger King’s acquisition of Tim Hortons, foodies were fascinated by something the Canadian doughnut chain offered at the New York State Fair.
The Buffalo Crunch Donut, available last week, was, according to Grub Street, a pull-apart yeast doughnut dunked in Buffalo sauce and crusted with crushed chips.
“It combines a staggeringly high number of junk-food influences (Buffalo sauce, tortilla chips, doughnuts) while still managing to make sense,” Grub Street said, adding that the doughnut was available for $2 in mild and hot varieties, with the former accompanied by ranch dressing.
Earlier, MarketWatch suggested that Burger King and Tim Hortons could get together gastronomically to make a doughnut burger.
That’s a concept that’s been kicking around at least since 2003, according to Eater National editor Raphael Brion, but MarketWatch writer Charles Passy suggested Burger Hortons could be the first to take it mainstream. He joked (probably) that doughnut burgers were the real reason Burger King wanted to buy Tim Hortons, noting that doughnut burgers are the fried Oreo of the 2014 state fair scene.
Maybe so, but, as Passy noted, other sweet-savory sandwiches have already gone mainstream. Dunkin’ Donuts has a Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich, made with a sausage patty and a glazed doughnut, that actually has fewer calories than a bagel sandwich, and even Dunkin’s own Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich.
And there’s always the classic Monte Cristo — a deep-fried ham-and-cheese sandwich dusted with powdered sugar and served with a side of jam.
Although Grub Street supported the notion of the Buffalo Crunch Donut, Fast Company did not.
Noting that the doughnut is part of the hybrid food trend that includes the Cronut and Doritos Locos Taco, Fast Company said, “this thing doesn’t really make sense.”
“But perhaps Tim Hortons was waiting for its $11.4 billion acquisition by Burger King to be confirmed in order to prove that humble Canadian fast-food chains can pull out showstoppers,” Chris Gayomali, a technology and culture writer, speculated.
“Tim Hortons: Nice To Meet You, America! Have a Buffalo Crunch Doughnut” was the headline in Consumerist — funny, but as there are already more than 800 Tim Hortons locations in the United States, not really accurate.
Consumerist came to a similar conclusion as MarketWatch: “[P]ut it between a bun and we could be looking at the future of the Burger King/Tim Hortons marriage. Please don’t do that, though, Canada.”
The doughnut even made it to the Comedy Central TV show @Midnight, a game show in which comedians make fun of Internet memes, social media and the like.
Host Chris Hardwick said: “Tim Hortons apparently possess a direct portal to Hell, through which they have summoned the Buffalo Crunch Donuts. … I guess they’re trying to bribe America with all the things they think we love.”
He asked the contestants to think of alternative names for it, and after the first two commented on its unhealthfulness and lack of appeal, comedian April Richardson said: “I call that my dinner tonight, because what isn’t delicious about that, you liberal elitists!”
But did anyone actually try it? Michelle Breidenbach did, and wrote a brief review of it on Syracuse.com, rating it a 5 out of 5.
“As advertised. Crunchy tortilla chip topping. Hot sauce. Donut.”
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @foodwriterdiary
