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Doughnuts have been a staple of our times since before we were born. They're late-night comfort food, the perfect breakfast for office folk and a ubiquitous wisecrack at law enforcement. With such a lengthy history, it's no surprise to see the beloved dessert still thriving today. And with an onslaught of options, it can be hard choosing which among the many is the king of doughnuts. It's my honor to inform you that the crown jewel of gourmet doughnuts can be found in a small shop in Fells Point. Diablo Doughnuts has been a fixture in Baltimore for two years and has already made a name for themselves with unique, delicious doughnuts made from scratch Wednesday through Sunday. After following the Diablo Instagram for over a year now, I finally got the chance to visit the shop last weekend. Familiar with the wide variety of creative flavors, I went in with a game plan. I'd get a dozen, mostly smores but also a few strawberry cheesecakes, a crème brûlée, and a blackberry lime. Unfortunately, by the time we got there (noonish), there was only a baker's dozen left to select from... so I bought the whole box! Pictured above is that first wonderful box. Several Blackberry Lime, Chesapeake, Blueberry Basil and one loan maple bacon (all of which were destroyed by the end of the day). Throughout the week I tried writing a review that would do justice to how flavorful these magic doughnuts truly are, but it was impossible. I needed more for inspiration. The very first day I had free, I grabbed my best friend and headed down to Fells Point as the sun rose above the city. And after a really great sit down with Ros, owner and creative genius at Diablo, I bought nine doughnuts and headed back home.  

By far, my favorites were the Chesapeake, smores, blackberry lime, and maple bacon. Even as a lifelong Baltimorean, I had my doubts about crab seasoning on a doughnut, but my god, the Chesapeake works perfectly! The s'more doughnut is like a fluffy Boston creme, substituting the creme for a large toasted marshmallow on top. Which while we're on the subject, the créme brûlée is delicious with a sugary hardtop and a creme that I can only describe to you as smooth homemade vanilla pudding. The blackberry lime is tart in a good way. I'm not ashamed to admit I licked the sugary remnants of blackberry off my fingertips. And the maple bacon is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, a combination that's been done before but not on this level. Diablo Doughnuts is a must-have if you haven't experienced gourmet doughnuts with originality and incredible taste.  -CCC

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