Oregon Trip - Day 5 - Blue Star Donuts - Portland, OR

 

Checked two boxes at Blue Star, the OG, supposedly-still-better-than-Voodoo donut shop that brews Coava Coffee. The hot coffee makes a lovely cup, and we tried the Nitro Cold Brew too for kicks. 

Wow, I truly thought I didn’t love donuts until I had Blue Star. The OG is just the right combination of fluffy and chewy, with nutty notes of Horchata glaze. Loganberry Cider with Hot Honey is fruity and sweet, but with no detectable honey. Blueberry Bourbon Basil tastes like summer but not too sweet. The bourbon and basil balance the real-fruit-flavored berry. They make a fantastic filling for the Meyer Lemon and Key Lime Curd. The tartness of the lime breaks up the butter and cream. 

The Hard Apple Cider Fritter might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. So much apple pressed into crunchy cubes of fried brioche. There’s an alcoholic theme that continues with the Pear Lavender and Crème Brûlée. Covered in a gorgeous crust of torched sugar, each crunchy bite releases a fragrant vanilla cream. Apply Cointreau liberally - it adds a bit of bitterness and a bit of citrus for balance. 

Best donuts I’ve ever had. Only donuts I’ve ever been truly excited about, head-and-shoulders over Sidecar, which is really saying something. I’ve been going through life thinking I didn’t like donuts, but it was really because I’d never had Blue Star.