Shipley Do-Nuts with Jon Gabrus (LIVE)

"Shipley Do-Nuts with Jon Gabrus (LIVE)" is Episode 136 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Shipley Do-Nuts with Jon Gabrus (LIVE)" was released on January 10, 2018.

## Synopsis

On the second stop of their Texas tour, Mitch and Wiger are again joined by Jon Gabrus (*Comedy Bang! Bang!*, *Raised by TV*) for a raucous discussion of local sweet treat/kolache chain Shipley Do-Nuts.

*Recorded live at The Secret Group in Houston, TX.*

## Nick's intro

June 1st: National Doughnut Day.

While it may sound like a trifling fake observance such as National Corndog Day, World Emoji Day, or Talk Like A Pirate Day, this holiday named for a round pastry in fact originated as a tribute to Salvation Army volunteer women who played a support role for U.S. troops during World War I.

Known as "Doughnut Girls" or "Doughnut Lassies" or, most enduringly, as "Doughnut Dollies," these female patriots prepared and distributed baked goods, coffee, and other rations for the American military presence in France, filling the GI tracks of GIs and boosting their morale. The rabid wartime consumption of doughnuts by U.S. military personnel is even thought by some to be why American soldiers came to be referred to as "Doughboys."

The conclusion of the Great War of 1918 set up a decade of Western economic boom known as the Roaring '20s, though the greed of the ruling class made the sustained growth unsustainable and the Wall Street crash of 1929 ushered in the prolonged misery of the Great Depression.

In 1936, just as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal of tightened banking regulations and vast expansion of government "make work" programs finally pulled America out of the pits of financial despair, a Houston man named Lawrence perfected his gourmet doughnut recipe and began selling his pastries wholesale for just five cents a dozen. Serving his product warm was essential; as the founder said, "when they bite into that hot doughnut, it will bring them back every time."

As Lawrence converted his operation from wholesale to retail storefronts, he enlisted a Doughnut Dolly of his own - his wife Lillie, who took over preparing the treats while simultaneously rearing their young son. The couples' business's boom seems to have never ended; today having expanded to nearly 200 stores in Texas and across the South.

Houstonians have maintained a fierce loyalty to the brand. When regional rival Krispy Kreme attempted to establish a foothold in Space City, it quickly sputtered and they sheepishly shuttered their Houston stores and fled the Houston market for good!

Today, eight decades after Lawrence and Lillie began their business, each June 1st, this Houston institution hands out free doughnuts and donates a portion of its sales to charity in observance of National Doughnut Day.

And while the spelling, and in this case hyphenation of the word "doughnut" remains in dispute, what's not in dispute is the significance of these ring-shaped sweet treats to American culture and to American history.

This week on *Doughboys*: Shipley Do-Nuts.

## Fork rating

* Orange Sprinkle
* Blueberry Filled
 Mike Mitchell
* Blueberry Filled
* Orange Sprinkle
 Jon Gabrus
* Blueberry Filled
* Cinnamon Sugar

The Doughboys tried a big variety of Do-nuts on this trip: Cinnamon Sugar, Devils Food, Maple Iced, Chocolate Iced, Chocolate Iced Nut, Orange Sprinkle, Blueberry Filled, Strawberry Filled, Cream Filled, Chocolate Cream Filled, Chocolate Iced Cake, and the consensus favorite: Buttermilk Cake Glazed.

They also had a Filled Bar, Cinnamon Roll, Apple Fritter, Jalapeno Sausage & Cheese Kaloche, Ham & Cheese Kaloche, and coffee.

With these scores, Shipley Do-Nuts joins the Golden Plate Club!

## Hot or Not 🔥

In this segment, The Doughboys try a food product and rate its spiciness.

For this episode, they have Zombie Takis, which are habanero & cucumber-flavored. An audience member, Eric, joins them for this segment.

The scale is Not Not Not, Not Not, Not, Hot, Hot Hot, and Hot Hot Hot.

 Mike Mitchell
 Jon Gabrus
 Eric

## Related Episodes

* 86. Taco Bell 2
* 100. Nugget Power Hour
* 133. Torchy's Tacos
* 136. **Shipley Do-Nuts**
* 138. Whataburger
* 150. The Dopeboys 4/20 Smoketacular
* 163. Mel's Drive-In
* DD. Live from Outside Lands
* DD. Wiger Alone
* 188. Cheba Hut
* 198. Portillo's
* 199. Lou Malnati's
* DD. It's A Wigerful Life
* 241. Mac Attack: Round of 64
* DD. Wige Hard
* DD. The Doughpranos
* 290. Pie Noon: Round 1, Part 1
* 302. Taco Bell 5
* 324. Nathan's Famous
* DD. The Mitchy Clause
* 333. Thighstop
* 348. Cornish Pasty
* 350. D'Angelo
* 351. Kelly's Roast Beef
* 352. Bertucci's
* 358. Burger King 6
* SP3. Ding Dongs or Twinkies?
* DD. Gorko's Planet Clergmas Spectacular
* DD. Energy Drinks
* DD. Rudolph's Roadside

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

box of do-nutsdo-nutsHam & Cheese KalocheCoffee