The chefs at The Refuge Café are creating a tasty treat for National Donut Day (June 5): the sconut. Their donut-shaped scone is sure to please even the most devout fans of the traditional donut. Customers will receive a free sconut with the purchase of a regular sized coffee from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Sconuts are the newest members of the trendy hybrid donut family. Its cousin, the cronut, is New York’s fashionable cross between a croissant and a donut. When asked about why they created sconuts for National Donut Day, The Refuge Café’s chefs Jacob Fedeli and John Strawn had a simple explanation.
“We don’t make donuts, but we wanted to make something for National Donut Day, so we baked a scone with a hole in the middle and called it a sconut,” said Strawn.
In 1938, when National Donut Day was first celebrated, The Salvation Army gave away plain donuts to honor the men and women who provided World War I soldiers with donuts. For the past 77 years, National Donut Day has been observed by giving away donuts, or a fancy donut hybrid, on the first Friday of every June.
The Refuge Café, located at 4727 N. 7th Avenue in the Melrose Boutique District in central Phoenix, does a lot more than provide tasty treats. It is owned by Catholic Charities, and a portion of all their proceeds fund nonprofit services in the Valley. The cafe specializes in refugee assistance, by employing refugees and selling retail items handmade by local refugees. Customers who visit The Refuge Café will get more than just a cup of coffee and a sconut this Friday. They will also get the satisfaction of knowing their dollars are being used to help people less fortunate.
