Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Quest

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What does one do when they finish their third day’s training for school and are completely exhausted?

They don’t feel up to hiking, going out and doing serious photography, or even coming back to the place where they’re staying and going to sleep yet either…

I’ll tell you what they do, they set out on a quest; a quest for the perfect maple bar.

Remember how I once talked about how I’d found a maple bar which I thought was pretty good, and I’d even driven across town to get it? Well, that was awhile ago, and since then I’ve discovered Dunford maple bars, quite possibly the best maple bars on the planet.

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Well, after a quick IM conversation with a friend of mine, she challenged me to find the maple bar which could rival those of Dunford Bakery.

I was doubtful.

Was this even possible?


I stopped off at several stores.


Several bakeries.


Bought several different maple bars.


But none of them could even touch a Dunford.


I was pretty sure that there was nothing even worth my time down here in southern Utah. I’d already combed Hurricane as well as LaVerkin, but neither of them had anything; it seemed only fitting that Cedar City was next on the list for failure to impress.


I first began by accessing Google Info and finding the local bakeries and began to hit them one by one.


Lame. Lame. Okay. Not-so-great. Awful.


I was now convinced that Cedar City was the proverbial ‘cardboard donut capital’ of the world when I passed the Visitor Center. The sign on the street proudly boasted that they had all sorts of information about the city.

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I decided to put them to the test.


I pulled in to the parking lot and walked into the building. A young woman, Aimee, approached me as I pushed past the swinging glass doors.


“Can I help you sir?”


“Actually, yes,” I said with a somber expression. “My request might sound a little odd though.”


“We get that stuff all the time,” She grinned back. “Try me.”


“I’m on a personal quest for the best donut in Cedar City…maple bar to be exact. I’ve already been to several places, including Festival City Bakery…so far, I’m not impressed.”

Aimee flinched, her face clearly showing her distaste for the business I just mentioned. “That place is awful,” she crooned. “Don’t ever go there for a good maple bar.”

“Where would you suggest?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Aimee leaned in conspiratorially, her hand on her chest. In a low voice she said, “Tommie’s Bakery is heavenly.” Her eyelids fluttered slightly. “Quite possibly the best donuts in the county.”


“Really?” I asked. “They’re that good?”


Aimee went on to explain the history of the baker who ran said shop, and how he was ‘a master’ when it came to the culinary art of baking. She began to then give me directions to find Tommie’s which she said was located in a gas station.


“In a gas station?” I asked unbelievingly.


Aimee nodded again, “Like I said before…they’re heavenly. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”


I thanked Aimee for her time and drove to the prescribed destination, wondering if these maple bars could be just as good as Aimee had claimed they were.


Sure enough, there was Tommie’s, down at the gas station, just like she’d said. I pulled into the parking lot and walked into the store. Because Aimee had been so adamant, I decided to buy two.

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Still, I was skeptical.


Until I took the first bite.


Aimee was right.


They were heavenly.


But were they as good as a Dunford?

To be honest, I don’t quite know…I guess I had better go back tomorrow to double check.

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12 comments:

mamahasspoken said...

Maple Bar? Must be something from out west....Think I'll go to the bakery tomorrow and see if we have such a thing in this area.....

Corine Moore said...

lol! lol! That was great! Ok - I was really planning on taking a break from reading... I spend WAY too much time on these things; However, I got sucked in again "just one more" I thought. Consequently, I am reminded of just one reason why I am a AMDL addict - Your writing is brilliant and entertaining! :D Who would even THINK to write about their "quest" for the perfect doughnut? Hats off!

BTY - Thanks for your comment. :D

SHELLS BELLS! said...

Mmmmm. I love maple bars.

Linn said...

You have me laughing hysterically. That last picture is just awesome. Awesome I say!

Gerb said...

So those "Visitor Information" centers ARE good for something! Those bars look mighty tasty. Mission accomplished(?).

Anonymous said...

I have never heard of a maple bar, but it sounds pretty yummy. I have a new quest.

Teachinfourth said...

M - You've never heard of a maple bar? What is this world coming to? Maple bars are, quite possibly, the greatest invention on the planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_bar

Manna from heaven.

C - Thanks for always returning. I will try to keep you stocked up with the ordinary and mundane.

S - Aren't they wonderful?

L - As were the maple bars...

G - I figured that I'd give them a shot; after all, it couldn't hurt anything right? I found myself pleasantly surprised. If ever I have need of such information again, I know where to acquire it.

L - When you're in California, you really should check them out...but only good maple bars, the nasty type will not impress. Of course, what are the best? So far, Dunford is #1 followed by Tommie's.

mamahasspoken said...

Went on reference site and checked it out. It says it is from the Pacific Northwest, Ah ha, I'm from the south. That's why I can't find them. But I did blog about trying to find them.....

http://mammahasspoken.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-search-for-maple-bars.html

Stephen T said...

There is a Tommie's at Jordan Landing in West Jordan.

♥Miya said...

Holy cow, those look good... I have yet to find the perfect maple bar. The ones in Idaho just can't live up to the taste and texture I envision in my mind!

Plain Jame said...

OK OK OK. I came here the other day from Tibs blog. I read and read and thought - me likey. I came back tonight and saw Maple Bar tag. I clicked on it because I am a HUUUUUUUGE maple bar fan - and I grew up in Southern Utah. Tommies is the freakin best! Last time I was visiting in cedar it was closed though. I didn't know if it was closed forever or just for the day or something.
I am not sure I can quite explain my fettish - rather fixation - with maple bars. My sister too. Our whole lives... and guess where we served our missions?
CANADA.

RIGHT? Up here in the SL valley I hve to settle for grocery store maple bars - although there is a place called beyond glazed, and it's got great gourmet donuts.

The end.

Teachinfourth said...

B - They are a piece of heaven...

S - Really? Excellent! Now I won't have to travel quite so far for that goodness.

M - These would most certainly give you a run for the money, to be sure.

J - The last time I visited CC they only had ONE maple bar at Tommie's. It.was.a.crime. I'm with you; I'm willing to travel the distance for some good old fashioned goodness.

However, check out Dunford. They're pretty good as are the maple bars at the Salt Lake Target stores.

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