Originally Posted by
RobbieRunner
The smell you describe. To me, it's frying donuts. I don't eat that stuff... well, 99 percent of the time. Once in a blue moon I'll have a donut, but it's a VERY rare treat. I try and stay healthy. In the US there are many Wendy's and Horton's in one building, so you have fryers going big time.
These weren't Wendy's/Tim Hortons, they were TH standalone ones, so can't blame Wendy for the smell.
I avoid doughnuts in North America; never understood the craze for Tim Hortons, Dunkin' Donuts, or Krispy Kreme. I suppose that it is taste and what people are used to.
Re doughnuts, I mentioned Kamps upthread. I blame them (and the other bakery chain Müller) for the rapid decline in Krapfen ('Berliner', the yeast jam filled doughnut found in central Europe). It is almost impossible these days to find a real Krapfen, with that distinctive yeasty taste, texture, and with plum butter inside and granulated sugar on top of a deep brown crust. These days they are flat, light golden, with 'apricot' filling ie some sort of lightish sugary liquid, and topped with powder sugar. Even my old standby in Salzburg has moved away from the original. This change started around 1989 and has spread rapidly with globalisation and the disappearance of independent bakers.
The best 'chain' version I have found is actually the French chain, Paul. They are pretty consistent around the world, with the exception of the US and Chinese locations (and in fact the Chinese ones closed). The UK stores have a very limited selection, too.
Paul has decent coffee, as well, and I don't mind them as an option.