Why Donuts Matter

There is a hybrid between competition and cooperation that exists around cooking on the commune.  The competitive part is cooks trying to outdo each other in making food members are excited about.  The cooperation is the friendly transfer of suggestions and receipts between cooks.  Part of wowing the commune is cooking things that people really like and part is making things we rarely have.  Donuts scores on both counts.  Because of the relatively high amount of labor per donut (i assume) months can go buy without a donut showing up at the dinning hall.


Hawthorn, Bridget and Rayne make many donuts - Circa 2012

Bridget, Hawthorn and Rayne recently pulled off a donut invasion.  There were literally hundreds of donuts of about 10 different kinds including stuffed ones, chocolate ones and tiny ones for people who wanted to be part of the experience but could not handle the sugar or gluten load of a conventional size donut.  They were wonderfully all vegan.

What is hard to describe and measure is the ripple effect associated with this generous act.  Almost everyone left that meal feeling like we are somehow a special place, excited about the things we make ourselves to make ourselves happy.  Happy members are attractive open people, we fall more in love with ourselves and those around us after these donuts. And this is why, donuts matter.

[Hawthorn is an accepted new member who is waiting for spot to open up.  Thanks to Rayne for commissioning this post.]