SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Glazed and Confused is a Central New York donut shop that has separated themselves from other bakeries in several ways. First, they only make donuts, as opposed to a variety of baked goods. Second, they make custom donuts for any occasion—from weddings, to birthdays to graduations—they do it all.
Everyone loves eating Glazed and Confused’s specialty donuts, but few people understand what goes into making them. The man in charge of making the donuts is Fred Flagg, the shop’s sole baker. Since Glazed and Confused sells between 3,000 and 4,000 donuts each day, Flagg has to start baking donuts long before the average person opens their eyes.
“On a weekend, I’ll probably start at 1 o’clock, 2 o’clock in the morning,” Flagg said.
It might sound like a crazy morning routine, but it makes sense when you consider the math.
Start to finish, Flagg can make a batch of 50 donuts in about 20 minutes. The donut shop opens at 7a.m., so it is important that Flagg gets a head start on the customers. If he starts baking at 1a.m., he’ll have 900 donuts ready by the time the shop opens its doors.
So, how are the donuts made?
“First we start with the flour and water,” Flagg said. “We have a mixer, we put it in the mixer, and then once that mixes you you have to let it sit and ferment for about 20 minutes.”
That fermenting process is crucial. It’s how the donuts rise and take shape. While one batch rises, Flagg starts on the next one. When the fermenting process is complete, Flagg pops the donuts into the fryer.
“They cook about two to three minutes on each side,” Flagg said.
Once Flagg moves the donuts out of the fryer and on to the drying rack, his job is over. He then hands the donuts off to Bridgette Mulvey, the shop’s pastry chef. Her job is twofold. She turns the donuts into colorful creations and comes up with all of the different flavors.
“We offer 12 everyday flavors, and we usually have a flavor of the day. On holidays, we also offer a different menu altogether,” Mulvey said.
Mulvey’s job allows her to use her creative side. She pairs donuts with toppings that many people find surprising at first, but come to enjoy.
“We did a honey [donut] with breaded chicken on top for the Super Bowl,” Mulvey said. “People loved that one.”
Most of the time, people are in utter disbelief at the ways that Bridgette Mulvey can dress up a donut.
“When we put it [toppings] on a donut, their minds are blown,” Mulvey said. “We don’t really have anything like this around here so it’s a totally new thing.”
It’s this creativity that makes Mulvey’s job so entertaining.
“That’s actually my favorite part,” Mulvey said. “Coming up with the different flavors and custom orders.”
The donuts aren’t only good for business and for the customers. They also make for a rewarding experience for the employees. For Flagg, it’s the satisfaction he gets from making the customers happy.
“It just gives you peace knowing that people like something that you do,” Flagg said.
For Mulvey, the satisfaction stems from using donuts as a way to express herself.
“I always wanted to be an artist when I was younger, and this is my form of being an artist,” Mulvey said.
The next time you stop by Glazed and Confused to grab a box of donuts, just remember how much time and energy went into making them.
