Donut: A Canadian History

by Steve Penfold

In Canada, the donut is often thought of as the unofficial national food. Donuts are sold at every intersection and rest stop, celebrated in song and story as symbols of Canadian identity, and one chain in particular, Tim Horton's, has become a veritable icon with over 2500 shops across the country. But there is more to the donut than these and other expressions of 'snackfood patriotism' would suggest. In this study, Steve Penfold puts the humble donut in its historical context, examining how one deep-fried confectionary became, not only a mass commodity, but an edible symbol of Canadianness.

Penfold examines the history of the donut in light of broader social, economic, and cultural issues, and uses the donut as a window onto key developments in twentieth-century Canada such as the growth of a 'consumer society,' the relationship between big business and community, and the ironic qualities of Canadian national identity. He goes on to explore the social and political conditions that facilitated the rapid rise and steady growth of donut shops across the country.

Based on a wide range of sources, from commercial and government reports to personal interviews, The Donut is a comprehensive and fascinating look at one of Canada's most popular products. It offers original insights on consumer culture, mass consumption, and the dynamics of Canadian history.

Genres: History, Canada, Food History, Nonfiction

268 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2008

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted a little more donut history here, and a little less late 20th century Canadian economic history. Not that all of the donut shop/post-war economic change/donut popularity explosion stuff is that boring, but some of the analysis here could really be applied to all chain restaurants. All the talk about expanding car culture and locating donut shops at major intersections and approaches to cities...not incredibly thrilling, and basically the same for burger joints and pizza places and taco stands and diners etc etc etc. I did like hearing about Tim Horton decreeing that there be no service for hippies at one of his stores. There were some fun little anecdotes like that in the book. I also sort of wanted to get out of southern Ontario and read more about what was happening in the west and the Maritimes and Quebec. I felt this way about the last Canadian history book I read too, it seemed to ignore all provinces save Ontario. I know that's where most Canadians live, but come on, it's a big country.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with my father about this book: A look at how the history of the donut in Canada is an example of the post-war drive-thru culture, and an explanation of how the donut became a Canadian cultural symbol. Gives some thought-provoking ideas, loses some interest because the writing gets too focused on details, and definitely makes you crave donuts while reading.

[Cindy Wiedemer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this book sat on my shelf unread for countless years. probably could have stayed there. Super dry. The reason for he second start is that it did have a lot of history and facts which I personally enjoy. I do feel the title is a bit misleading, should be "The Donut Shop" to more accurately reflect a lot of the content

[Ian MacIntyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read on a fascinating, and very Canadian institution.

[Joseph Sparrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tim Horton’s conquered Canada by zerg rushing

[Mike Barat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Not my cup of tea. I just found this book to be to dry.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly an academic work written by a history prof, derived from his PhD thesis, this book gave me much nerdy pleasure in learning more about such fascinating topics as: North American food culture; Canadian identity; local history, particularly changes in Southern Ontario in the last half of the 20th century, with focus on Hamilton (perhaps not Canada’s donut shop capital? and actually not the location of the first Tim Hortons?); the rapid onset of suburbs and strip malls, consumerism and the blurring of needs and wants; cars, commuting, the advent of fast food drive-through windows; the stimulating and social effects of coffee; why donuts? what is a donut? what is their popular appeal? and how did bagels become an everyday staple? differences between homemade or artisanal products and those that are factory-made or otherwise mass produced; the marketing of these products and the places we consume them; more than I ever thought I wanted to know about franchising and small business practices; and even (in the author’s discussion of his research techniques, which included visiting donut shops and talking to people there) thoughts about folklore and the role of storytelling and memory. Helpful reading if you live in Southern Ontario and care about understanding why the world around you looks and acts the way it does.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure when I'll get to finish this, which is too bad, since I think the last chapters hold the most promise. (They look to me more in the way of cultural history than economic and social history.) Certainly, the premise of the book is a good one, and Penfold can be an extremely amusing writer. Neither argument nor humor is coming through quite as well as I'd like it to in what I've read so far, though.

(posted 14 March 2011)

[Jill]

I heard this author speak and found him funny and interesting and was looking forward to reading the book. Unfortunately (although predictably, as this is, in the end, an academic book) the book didn't have the same level of humour and personality as his public appearance. I am not one to judge academic texts -- I have no standard by which to measure his research or analysis. But at the end of the day, it's just a little too dry for my leisure reading.

[Tawney]

This is one of the most recommended new books in Canadian cultural history. Someday...