I went to Krazy Eddy’s this morning to get a pastry. It was the first time I’ve done so, as I usually order sandwiches off the menu. But when it comes to donuts or pastries, I get a little anxious.

For one, I don’t know the names of things. I mean, I can tell what a glazed donut vs a sprinkled donut is. I know what a croissant and a bear claw are. But for most things, I just point at them, as if I’m in a Turo-Turo (Filipino style places where you point at what you want; you don’t ask for it by name).

The reason is that growing up, if we had donuts, it was packaged, usually under the name “Hostess” or “Van de Kamps” (a store brand — I don’t think it’s the same company that makes the frozen fish sticks). Once in a while (a LONG while),  Entenmann’s. I’d never known what was in those pretty pink boxes. I probably hadn’t seen one until the first time I went to get donuts, which was some time in my mid-20s.

My boyfriend  and I had a discussion about donuts one time, and he told me his favorite is the “Old-Fashion.” I was puzzled. If I had my dumbphone then, I probably would’ve googled it. He told me it was the kind “shaped like a hat.”

WTF?

Donuts come in different shapes? To me, they were all the same shape — like Lifesavers only puffier and sweet and covered with sugar.

Now I realize they do come in different shapes and styles. Jelly-filled are solid — no holes. There are even the long ones and the twisted ones (obviously I still don’t know what they are called).

I’ve also noticed that behind the counter of every donut shop I’ve been to, there’s always at least one Asian behind the counter. Another lesson learned, although I don’t know what the history behind that is.

I have yet to go into one of those combo Donut/Chinese food shops. It makes sense. If you’re going to invest in that much grease, might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?

Lesson Learned: I donut know much about donuts.