I finally tried a Cherry Thing-a-ling. And yes, I get it now
A few years ago, when I turned 50, I made a promise to myself to never wait in line for food again. I'd wasted too many hours standing in line for the world-famous pizzas at Sally’s in New Haven, Connecticut. I'd endured two-hour waits for smash-burgers when Danny Meyer’s opened his first Shake Shack location in Manhattan. I'd even waited an hour and a half in line at New York's flagship Godiva location to buy a box of chocolates for my wife on Valentine’s Day.
That's why I was thankful that Enquirer reporter Grace Tucker made the 45-mile drive to Schmidt Bakery in Batesville, Indiana, to pick up a dozen Cherry Thing-a-lings for the office this year. Lucky for us, since people are known to wait in line for over three hours to get them. Thankfully Grace didn’t have to do that. The good people at Schmidt (the only bakery that makes them) had an early batch waiting for her when she arrived.
What's up with Cherry Thing-a-lings? We drove to Indiana to find out
Thing-a-lings, for the uninitiated, are cherry fritters that are only sold around the time of Presidents Day. They're meant to honor President George Washington and that tall tale we've all heard about him cutting down the cherry tree and copping to it afterward. The Thing-a-ling was introduced in the early '70s by Schmidt founder Clem Schmidt. For years, they were only available on the Sunday before Presidents Day, but due to the demand, they're now sold from the Thursday before President's Day through Monday. (In 2024, that means Feb. 15-19.)
Keith tries his first Cherry Thing-a-ling
Like young Georgie Boy, I cannot tell a lie. As popular as Thing-a-lings are, I’d never tried one before. And I didn’t have a desire to, either. That's because I largely don't eat donuts and fritters, which I find cloyingly sweet and instantly regrettable. I do have a list of exceptions: apple cider donuts are scrumptious in the fall, chocolate-covered donuts from Dunkin take me back to my childhood, and some of the gourmet donuts from Starlight Donut Lab in Norwood are just too tempting to pass up.
After trying my first craggy and colorful little Thing-a-ling, I’ll have to add it to my list of exceptions, too. On first bite, the fried donut taste prevails. But something magical happens when it surrenders to a burst of fresh sour cherries that are folded into the dough as well as the icing. Warmed up in the office microwave, they tasted like something a loving grandmother would make for the grandkids as a special birthday treat. They are, quite simply, remarkable.
Would I wait three hours in line for them? Not on your life. But at least I get why people do.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Food writer reviews his first Cherry Thing-a-ling from Schmidt Bakery
