It’s All Here, Including Delicious Doughnuts
Montclair State held a doughnut design competition collaborating with Montclair Bread Company
Peering into a doughnut box and seeing a circular vanilla brioche doughnut with raspberry icing, topped with pretzels, M&M’s, Oreos, and chocolate chips might make you hesitant. But then you catch a whiff of the most delicious smelling pastry and you cannot help yourself.
This is the effect the new Montclair State doughnut will have on you. Montclair State’s Commuter Services collaborated with Montclair Bread Company to produce the university’s very own doughnut. Around 200 students submitted flavor ideas to members of Commuter Services hoping to claim their doughnut as the best.
This competition idea was started by Commuter Services Coordinator of Commuter Programs and Services, Anthony Talamo. “I have always loved doughnuts and I love a good bakery,” said Talamo. He was the one who came up with the idea to encourage students to get involved.
This competition was a way “to connect the commuters back to the community,” said Talamo. There are currently around 15,000 commuter students at Montclair State out of the around 20,000 that attend.
The criteria the students needed to abide by were specific. The doughnut had to have Montclair State spirit, a good name, and be delicious. The doughnuts whose names did not have words pertaining to the university were automatically disqualified, regardless of their flavor choices.
The competition began in October. The last day to submit a doughnut idea was October 31. On November 1, the Commuter Services met with Montclair Bread Company to narrow down the submissions and see which doughnuts were possible to make. Voting then began on November 2 and lasted until the 20.
Jessica Woodward, the director of operations, at Montclair Bread Company said the bakery adds new doughnuts often. “We were really excited about this opportunity,” said Woodward.
The winner of the competition was Valerie Neuhaus, a commuter student. She is also a chef so this was a great opportunity for her, said Talamo. Neuhaus cupcake is called “It’s All Here” and has been enjoyed by almost everyone who has tasted it thus far.
Although the doughnut may bring skeptics, it has just the right amount and sweet and saltiness, making for a delicious treat. Because of some of the restrictions the bread company made the doughnut was only allowed a maximum of five toppings and no filling.
On a normal day Montclair Bread Company makes 800 doughnuts on weekdays, and anywhere from 1,600 to 1,800 on the weekends. Montclair Bread Company is known for their fresh warm doughnuts.
“We start production at midnight the night before and everything gets topped and iced around 5a.m.” Doughnuts can be purchased ahead of time, online or in store.
The bread company is considering coming to Montclair State in their truck occasionally if Red Hawk dollars could be used as an alternate form of payment. The “It’s All Here” doughnut is being sold this week primarily but will possibly be brought for days like Homecoming, and other school spirited events.
