Doughnut contest pits Toronto man against Londoner
A national contest to create what could become the next hit doughnut has two Ontario men vying against each other in the final round.
After weeks of judging fried confections ranging from crullers to bearclaws to jelly-stuffed fritters, the Tim Hortons "Duelling Donuts" competition is down to a pair of offerings.
The "tortoise torte" was created by Andrew Shepherd of Scarborough and consists of chocolate, caramel and nuts.
"Have you ever had Turtle chocolate candies, that have chocolate, caramel and pecans in them? That's what it tastes like, except in doughnut form, so it's even better," he vaunted.
The "Oreo borealis" is the brainchild of London resident Jason Flannery and is his take on the Nabisco cookie.
"Chocolate, vanilla icing, great name — what could be better?" he said.
Shepherd and Flannery are competing for a $10,000 grand prize. Tim Hortons has also said the winner might have his creation sold at its outlets.
Canadians submitted 63,000 entries to the contest, which were whittled down to eight doughnuts in July with the help of a panel of judges that included Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Jason Priestley.
The competition was dreamed up after Priestley appeared in an episode of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother last February, which riffed on the idea that Canadians were defined by their double-doubles and Dutchies. In a fake documentary, the Los Angeles-based actor claimed he had invented "The Priestley," a Frankenstein-esque merger of a strawberry-vanilla doughnut with a chocolate Timbit nestled inside.
Tim Hortons will announce the Duelling Donuts winner Monday after online voting ends.
