Divine Doughnuts; For years, St. Olaf rounds are rated No. 1
Published 9:14 am Tuesday, April 10, 2018
St. Olaf Lutheran Church’s doughnut-making tradition began so long ago, church member Caroline Neve remembers that in the early years, the now-famous doughnuts were made in cast-iron skillets.
“We’d have seven or eight of them going,” the 90-year-old-but-looks-younger recalled, as she placed newly-made doughnuts in plastic bags Monday. She and fellow volunteers were making 120 dozen of the sweet confections to sell at the church’s roast beef dinner fundraiser on Sunday.
Caroline Neve bags doughnuts that will be sold at St. Olaf Lutheran Church’s roast beef dinner on Sunday.
“We’d make the meatballs first, then we’d clean the skillets real good, and then we’d start making the doughnuts,” Neve said.
That was at over 55 years ago, and “probably longer,” she said, puzzling over an exact year.
“We would have rolled them and cut them out back then,” said Betty Sorlie.
Like the church’s signature lefse — also a popular item in the community —foreheads wrinkle when asked how long ago the lefse or the doughnut traditions began.
Fellow volunteers Sorlie and Yvonne Jondal agreed it just seems the practice has been around forever.
The one thing they do know is how popular they are, said Sorlie.
“We made 240 dozen for the Scandinavian Festival and we sold out in a half an hour,” Sorlie said.
Rick Herreid mixes batter for the doughnuts – just one of a long line of batter makers for the St. Olaf doughnuts. Photos by Deb Nicklay/deb.nicklay@austindailyherald.com
About 15-20 volunteers showed up on Monday to help; Jim Braaten organized the effort to make sure there were enough people and to start the fryer. The days of heating oil in skillets are long gone.
This year, Andrew Hagen is top dog at the fryer, making sure the doughnuts are turned at the right time, flipping them with a long stick. Tom Heiny works with him, both under the watchful eye of mentor, Rich Chick.
After batter is mixed, and doughnuts placed in the fryer and flipped, Joyce Jones takes over, arranging the newly-fried confections and arranges them before they go to “quality control” or, rather, the women who were packaging the dinners.
Andrew Hagen, left, and Tom Heiny, right, at the doughnut fryer at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin. They will flip some 120 dozen doughnuts before the session is over.
Hagen, 22, said he was excited about being involved. The Riverland Community College student was grateful for the time he could spend helping make the doughnuts.
“It’s such a vital part of the community of St. Olaf,” he said. “To me, it’s fascinating, to see how they’re made, working with friends, working with Rich.
“It’s special, like lefse. A lost art form.”
