There was a pang of disappointment when I opened the box – but it didn’t last too long
The side entrance to Mackie Mayor, where DGHNT can be found(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Too Good To Go is a rare hero in these expensive times. If you’ve never heard of the money-saving, food waste-cutting app, it could be well worth checking out.
Dozens of Greater Manchester shops, cafés and restaurants offer food that would otherwise be thrown away, all for a knock-down price.
In most cases, you will get a ‘surprise’ pack of food items which have been chosen for you. Sandwiches, groceries and leftover meals are all available at certain times of the day – along with a plethora of cakes and bakes, particularly in Manchester city centre.
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Whenever I’m in town, I’ll usually have a quick scan of the app to see if there are any bargain sweet treats on offer while I’m there. And that proved to be the case on Thursday afternoon (September 3), when one particular box caught my attention.
For five years, DGHNT has been knocking out some of the best doughnuts in the city. Sulin Baldwin began making artisan brioche doughnuts while on furlough during the pandemic, before turning her craft into a much-loved business.
The doughnuts are sold at both Mackie Mayor, in the Northern Quarter, and Altrincham Market. There’s a vast range of flavours with a regularly-changing menu, and they’re usually beautifully glazed and packed with delicious filling.
As with most treats these days – and understandably given they are made fresh from scratch by an independent trader – they’re not exactly cheap. So when DGHNT came up as an option on Too Good To Go, it immediately caught my eye.
The ‘surprise bag’ came as a box of four. The app said the contents were worth £16 – but the box was available for £5.30. There were only three boxes left to buy on the app, so I didn’t hesitate to secure mine.
Minutes later, I was stood at the counter of Eagle Street Coffee in Mackie Mayor. I showed the barista my code for collection, picked up the box which had already been put together, and made my way back to Manchester Evening News HQ to share the contents.
I’m a firm fan of both Too Good To Go and DGHNT, so I was convinced I was on to a winner with my purchase. The hefty weight of the package and the tantalising slither of icing peeping out of the box only heightened my expectations.
So when I opened it, I was left with a pang of disappointment, as three of the four doughnuts were the same. They were ring doughnuts filled with jam, while the fourth had a coffee glaze on top.
That sense of disappointment did soften once I tucked in. It was probably the best jam doughnut I’ve ever had. Even with the gap in the middle, it was as packed as possible with luscious jam that peeped out of the batter, inviting that first bite.
The coffee doughnut was also a real treat, with a rich, creamy icing. But what pleased me most about my purchase was that the doughnuts still tasted perfectly fresh – with the same distinct bite to the batter that I’d expect if I ordered it from the counter.
Having split the doughnuts up to share around, a few of my colleagues remarked on the quality of the brioche doughnuts and how they elevated the flavour. All in all, it was a very satisfying purchase.
Of course, you can pick up a pack of jam doughnuts from a supermarket for around a quid, but it won’t be as satisfying. With a saving of £10.70 over their usual cost, I’ll certainly be on the lookout for another ‘surprise bag’ from DGHNT – and if they come with a bit more variety in the box, it would be a 10-out-of-10 experience.
