Elevating a simple pleasure to new heights

If you ever wonder if we obsess on donuts, consider that Canadians consume more of them per capita than any other country in the world. Like hockey, maple syrup, and moose, we’ve adopted them into our national identity. So, it really isn’t a surprise that when Shannon and Paul Devon decided to open the sixth very popular Maverick’s Donuts Company location, they were overrun. They turned on the fryer and opened the doors at 37 Lansdowne Ave, Mews Mall, in November and have instantly gained an appreciative and growing following. 

Everything is made in store from fresh ingredients and cake-based mixes, not yeast, giving them a fresh moistness loaded with flavour that retain their edge for hours. Not that Maverick’s ever sees their creations out on the counter for very long. The menu is divided into classics and signatures with Mini Mav donut holes and fritters to boot. The classics contain such all-time favourites as honey-glazed, powdered and cinnamon sugared while the signatures are a step up in topping wizardry. Drool-inducing creations such as the top selling maple-bacon (yes with real bacon), lemon ricotta, and s’mores look more at home on a pastry cart in a 5-star restaurant than in a donut shop, but they also travel well to your table in a Maverick box (if they make it home at all).

Don’t be taken aback by the lack of a multitude of coffee equipment behind the counter. Maverick’s CP uses a state-of-the-art Swiss-made system which grinds each serving of Morning Owl coffee before brewing it to perfection. The coffee selections are varied from straight espresso to flavoured lattes and cappuccinos and even hot chocolate. And we can’t neglect to mention the broad selection of vegan donuts with unique flavours such as apple-caramel and pecan-pie.

How much pent-up demand was living in Carleton Place before Maverick’s CP opened? Consider that Shannon and Paul were inundated with staff applications prior to opening, including some highly qualified bakers who they snatched up quickly. Their online pre-ordering system has been busy and in-person shopping is made easy, quick, and safe thanks to a well-executed shop design and ever-helpful staff.

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Paul and the bakers start early at 5 am to meet the morning demand. Shannon can often be found at the front counter, and both are amazed at the public response and acceptance, magnified by new Ottawa transplants who were already hooked on Maverick’s donuts. They’ve grown to a staff of 12 very quickly and are proud to have used local businesses for the facility retrofit. Paul adds that they can offer larger customized orders for office parties or family festivities. After trying a few varieties of Maverick’s donuts I can confirm you will be the stuff of legends when you arrive with a few boxes.The shop has plenty of lot parking and easy access. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. You can reach them at cp@mavericksdonuts.com or tempt yourself beyond the limits at mavericksdonuts.com.

Column by Brian Turner