It snowed handcrafted vegan doughnuts at Blue Tusk Doughnuts’ pop-up event in Syracuse this weekend.  

Run by baker and owner Joel Kircher, the Ithaca-based eatery had pastry lovers biting into a variety of vegan doughnuts at a pop-up at Green Planet Grocery on West Genesee Street. Kircher’s set-up with the doughnuts and coffee, coupled with his relaxed attitude, created an inviting atmosphere for those at the store. With a second doughnut in hand, many customers left as Blue Tusk fans.   

“It’s great to host Blue Tusk for their first pop-up in Syracuse,” said Caleb Liber, the head buyer at Green Planet, an all-natural foods store.  

Liber first met Kircher last year at Copper Horse Coffee, the Ithaca roastery and brewery where he buys his coffee from. Being vegan himself, Liber said he knows these doughnuts are hard to come by and couldn’t wait to offer them at the store for people to sample.  

“When you look at the doughnuts, they might not appear traditional in appearance,” said Jesse Harriott, the head roaster and co-owner of Copper Horse Coffee. “But once you bite into them, they are just delicious.”  

Harriott said when he first started Copper Horse four years ago, Kircher would create and distribute samples of his doughnuts — non-vegan then — to go along with the coffee in an unofficial sales and service capacity.   

The vanilla glazed flavour is Harriott’s favorite, echoing the popular sentiment that coffee and doughnuts are the perfect match.  

Kircher said he not only sees Harriott as a good friend and former bandmate, but also a significant source of encouragement. Harriott was the person who encouraged him to start his own venture. 

After several failed recipes, Kircher finalized his vegan doughnuts last year at a festival at Cornell University. More than 200 doughnuts sold out in two hours. 

Although his business is dedicated to offering vegan options, Kircher is not vegan himself — his wife is vegan, and many of his friends are lactose intolerant. With these two communities in mind, he decided to cater to the vegan community and focus on just one or two recipes.  

The use of coconut oil, almond milk and a blend of egg substitutes in potato starch and chia seeds — plus a little secret blend — creates the doughnuts Blue Tusk is known for, Kircher said.  

For over a year, Kircher took Blue Tusk to festivals, pop-ups and farmers’ markets in Ithaca before making his Syracuse debut at Green Planet. Saturday morning’s sale sold out all 120 donuts. 

“These new vegan doughnuts are pretty good, not like a traditional doughnut,” said Patrick Mast, a regular at Green Planet who tried the apple cider flavour. “Syracuse definitely needs more vegan bakery items.” 

The response to Blue Tusk has been great, Kircher said. 

“Everyone wants to give it a try,” he said. “Now, I’m working on vegan meals to serve at festivals. We also do locally-raised meat products at such events.” 

Blue Tusk makes waffles, too. Kircher is satisfied with his concise array of pastry and wants to let it sink in before he decides to introduce more. As to whether there will be a permanent Syracuse Blue Tusk location anytime soon, Kircher didn’t bite.  

“Maybe in the near future,” Kircher said, smiling with a soft, vanilla glazed treat in hand. 

For now, doughnut lovers can visit Blue Tusk at its Ithaca location at 3861 N Main St., Burdett.  

Published on November 13, 2018 at 8:35 pm

Contact L.A.M.: lymichae@syr.edu