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"From sufganiyot in Israel, to beignets in France, to bomboloni in Italy, there are dozens of donut varieties made around the world. Yet the American donut that we all know and shamelessly love has become such a cultural icon that it&amp;#039;s even one of Homer Simpson&amp;#039;s favorite foods. From the donut&amp;#039;s role in WWI to the innovative &amp;quot;cronut&amp;quot; hybrid, let&amp;#039;s take a look at how the humble donut secured its spot as a timeless American treat. Then celebrate National Donut Day (June 7th) with a FREE donut. Read on to find out where to get one. Prehistoric: According to anthropologist Paul R. Mullins in his book Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut, archeological evidence suggests that donuts (or at least flour cooked in oil) existed in North America in prehistoric times. 1700s: Although the exact origins of the American donut remain uncertain, many believe that it evolved from olykoeks, or &amp;quot;oily cakes,&amp;quot; made by Dutch settlers in the 18th century. 1898: William Entenmann emigrates from Germany to America and opens his first bakery in Brooklyn, NY. Entenmann delivers his baked goods door-to-door using a horse-drawn carriage.  1917: At the end of WWI, Salvation Army volunteers set up service areas near the front lines to provide the troops with meals, writing supplies, stamps, coffee, and of course, fresh donuts fried up by female volunteers known as &amp;quot;donut lassies.&amp;quot; Legend has it that the donuts were fried 7 at a time in soldiers&amp;#039; helmets. 1920: Adolph Levitt mechanizes the messy donut-making process by inventing the first automatic donut machine.  1937: In Winston-Salem, NC, Krispy Kreme starts making donuts to sell in local grocery stores. The delicious smell of cooking donuts ends up attracting so many passersby that founder Vernon Rudolph decides to cut a hole in the building&amp;#039;s wall and sells the hot donuts directly to people walking by. 1938: During the Great Depression, the Salvation Army establishes National Donut Day to raise funds for those in need. The holiday also honors the volunteers who served donuts during WWI.  1972: Entenmann&amp;#039;s launches the Rich Frosted Donut, a chocolate-covered cake-like donut, destined to become the company&amp;#039;s bestseller for the next 41 years. Also in 1972, Dunkin&amp;#039; Donuts introduces the world to the bite-size donut hole known as the &amp;quot;Munchkin.&amp;quot; 1984: Entenmann&amp;#039;s achieves coast-to-coast sales thanks to its strategic plan to sell its products in supermarkets.  2008: Mark Isreal&amp;#039;s Doughnut Plant in NYC launches the Cr\u00E8me Brul\u00E9e Doughnut (pictured at right),   which soon becomes the bakery&amp;#039;s signature flavor. On a recent visit to the Doughnut Plant, the employees behind the counter assured me that the cr\u00E8me brul\u00E9e doughnut still reigns supreme among their sugary sweets. After my first bite, I can taste why: crunchy caramelized sugar on top, creamy custard inside, and light, fluffy dough all around. Calling all foodies: you&amp;#039;ll definitely want to stop by on your next trip to NYC. 2011: Voodoo Donut of Portland, OR breaks the world record for the biggest box of donuts. Following the event, many of the 3,880 donuts are sold at Voodoo Donut locations throughout Portland, giving the entire city a major sugar buzz.  2013: What happens when the fried donut joins forces with the flaky French croissant? Meet the utterly irresistible &amp;quot;cronut,&amp;quot; a croissant-donut hybrid sold at the Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC (at left, and being made, below). Almost three weeks after the confection&amp;#039;s debut, the city is now in the height of the cronut craze. With cronuts selling out an hour after the bakery&amp;#039;s opening each morning, some have even resorted to scalping the treats on Craigslist. June 7th 2013: Don&amp;#039;t forget to celebrate the 76th National Donut Day! Here&amp;#039;s how:  -&amp;quot;Like&amp;quot; Entenmann&amp;#039;s Facebook page before June 15th and the company will donate $1 to the Salvation Army. You can also enter to win free donuts for a year! -On June 7th, head over to any Krispy Kreme location for a FREE donut of any variety! -Or stop by participating Dunkin&amp;#039; Donuts for a free donut with the purchase of any beverage. *What&amp;#039;s the best donut you&amp;#039;ve ever had? Share your sweet secret in the comments, below!* "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a18569/history-donuts-in-america/>