I really liked the show. It was supposedly set in Tennessee and I like the actor who played the lead — Jason Lee. He played the lead detective Dwight Hendricks.
The show was canceled officially last October after only about 16 months or so on the air. I really miss it.
For some reason, however, I thought about this show the other day and remembered this one tiny little scene. It really had nothing to do with the murderous police plot line that night, but it struck me and I still remember it. So, I wanted to ask you folks about it.
Actually, I just wanted to ask you folks to pick sides.
The question is: If you could either have a donut or a biscuit for breakfast, which would it be? Which one would you pick?
Now, answer the question please, before reading on.
I’ll wait ’til you make up your mind ...
OK, have you decided?
Now, you don’t have to tell me, but I have to tell you what my question — donuts versus biscuits — has to do with the “Memphis Beat” TV show.
In this one scene, let’s say it was a New York detective, this New York detective was down in Memphis consulting on some case or other that also involved the Memphis police. OK. I don’t remember this part of the scene that well. Maybe you folks know the exact situation, but it really doesn’t matter to the point I am trying to get to. So, sorry if the scene isn’t quite right.
However, it doesn’t matter anyway. Not to me.
The point is, this visiting detective from up north brought in some donuts for breakfast for the crew as a friendly “Hello” gesture. I remember it not going over that well. And the reason, as detective Hendricks pointed out, was that they were in the South. And, he continued to point out, folks in the South don’t eat donuts for breakfast — they eat biscuits instead.
Now, I would like to know if this is true.
Remember what you answered earlier?
Did you vote “yes” to donuts or “yes” to biscuits?
Well, I must admit, I picked donuts. And, although I didn’t just move from the “North” — I moved from Missouri almost two years ago — I also have spent a lot of time in the South, mostly in North Carolina where a bunch of my relatives live.
But I still picked donuts.
Soooooooo, I took a short survey, asking other folks what their answer would be.
Actually, I just asked 10 people. It’s a nice, round number, easy for me to deal with. I’m not a math whiz.
Anyway ...
The results broke down to roughly 70 percent choosing biscuits and 30 percent choosing donuts. I was one of the 30 percent, and so was one other lady who hails most recently from Arkansas. Only one lady who was born and raised in Tennessee picked donuts for breakfast over biscuits — specifically jelly donuts. Even a biscuit with jelly on it wouldn’t do. It had to be a jelly donut for this gal.
But seven people steadfastly, unequivocally and adamantly picked biscuits. And yes, by coincidence, they all happen to hail from right here in the Cleveland area.
“Donuts are too sweet of a morning,” one said.
“Biscuits are more filling,” said another. “They stay with me longer than a donut.”
However, another did qualify her biscuit selection by saying, “If it’s just a plain biscuit, then no,” she’d rather have a donut. But she would prefer a biscuit with eggs and bacon and gravy.
“Nothing better for breakfast,” she added. “Nothin’ better.”
Yep, that was a common theme. A biscuit with eggs and bacon, or ham or gravy or something.
One lady even said, “I have two biscuits every morning.” First, she has one with bacon, eggs and gravy, and then she has a second with a little jelly on top.
One lady kinda straddled the fence, I must confess. She definitely prefers a biscuit for breakfast — specifically a biscuit with gravy — even though she is from Maryland originally. But she also said if she had to eat it at work, she’d have to pick a donut because a biscuit with gravy is a little too messy to eat at the office. But her heart and her taste buds are with the biscuit.
And then, that brought me to another question.
What is your favorite biscuit or donut?
Now apparently I’ve discovered, when folks say biscuit, it’s always only that round, lightly browned biscuit about the size of a baseball, only flatter. North. South. East. West. The biscuit remains the same.
But donuts different greatly — not just in flavor but from which donut shop.
While Krispy Kreme donuts seem to be a favorite here in the South, Dunkin’ Donuts are preferred by, well, me — only me.
Even the one lady who just recently moved here from Arkansas likes Krispy Kremes the best. Why? Well, she lived in Florida for 15 years and has developed a true appreciation for the Krispy variety.
The only other one who preferred Dunkin’ Donuts wasn’t in my original survey. This lady waxed poetic about this one Dunkin’ Donut glazed confection that has warm cream cheese inside. She has only seen it at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Puerto Rico. It’s called a “Quesito.” And based on the look on her face and the smacking of her lips, it’s the best-tasting donut ever created.
But favorite donuts do vary. The chocolate burger donut seems to be a perennial favorite here in Cleveland.
You know, I must confess that I never called these donuts with chocolate icing on top and white cream in the middle a “chocolate burger” until I moved down here. I’m not sure what I called them. Just a chocolate donut with cream inside, I guess.
However, a few other donut flavors seem to top the list. They include lemon-filled donuts, apple fritters, blueberry cake donuts and just about any flavor of jelly donuts.
Oh, and I almost forgot! What about bagels?
But I guess that’s another story.
