Time to Make a DonutBy Susan Bush
12:00AM / Wednesday, June 29, 2005
 | | Taylor Sprague, 5, chose pink frosting for her self-decorated doughnut. |
North Adams – Little hands can make big treats, as children enrolled at two home-based child care centers demonstrated on June 29.
Children who attend Beth Bator’s “Beth’s Place†and Shannon Bernardi’s “A Kids Club†centers, both in North Adams, spent part of their morning at a Dunkin’ Donuts located within the Wal-Mart on Curran Highway. The doughnut shop is hosting a “Decorate A Donut†promotion at that store only, and a total of about 10 children cared for by either Bator or Bernardi each lined up for their opportunity to decorate one free doughnut each.
Nicholas Bator, 7, concentrated on proper frosting placement as Daranne Warner, 7, scrutinized Nick's technique. |
Shop manager Dina Olivera made sure that each child slipped on a pair of disposable gloves before the decorating began. Armed with a plain doughnut, the children made their way along the decorating station and used large spatulas to spread chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla flavored icing on the pastries. Squeeze tubes allowed children to add pink, brown, or white designs atop the frosting foundation, and many children elected to top off their sweet treats with a generous shake of multi-colored sprinkles.
Several shoppers stopped and watched the group as they created the one-of-a-kind confections, and chuckles erupted as dollops of icing slid down the doughnut sides or stubbornly clung to the spatula instead of adhering to the pastry. Frosting that stuck to hands and fingers was washed away with individually packaged wet-wipes made available at the decorating table.
A true chocolate devotee at work. |
Minor decorating glitches did not hinder the children, who simply covered any imperfections with more icing or sprinkles, and then proudly showed their finished doughnuts to Bator and Bernardi.
Anyone who didn’t catch a glimpse of the doughnuts before the children took their seats at a long table was out of luck; apparently, not one child thought that their creation was too pretty to eat, and the doughnuts were devoured in minutes.
Dakota Hurley, 3, waited - and waited- for a first sweet drip of chocolate. |
The promotion began on June 27 and ends on July 3. The decorating station is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m..
Bator and Bernardi said that the children enjoyed the experience immensely.
“What kid wouldn’t like to decorate a doughnut, and then get to eat it?†Bator said.
Lucas Champagne, 3, savored the flavor of his efforts. |
Susan Bush may be reached at 802-823-9367 or by e-mail at suebush123@adelphia.net. |
