Scandinavian Deli & Soppi

Bakery: Scandinavian Deli & Soppi 
Address: 307 Bay St, Thunder Bay ON 
Website: n/a 
Style: Finnish 
Price: $$

I almost forgot about this place! I was looking through my remaining pictures from this grand tour and, having for whatever reason taken for granted that Harri Bakery was my only stop from Thunder Bay, I realized I still had these delicious doughnuts from Scandinavian Deli (and Soppi, though I'm not sure what this means)! :)

Fresh from the bag, Finnish doughnuts are so good! *-*

This stop come about purely by fluke: the international correspondents came across this "Scandinavian" deli (it's really just Finnish) while looking for a bakery selling Persians, which they never found. [And thus a trip to Thunder Bay is almost in vain. -_- Well, I say "almost", because I did get two Finnish bakeries which will beat pretty much anything! :P] Instead, I was treated to something even better -- which was even, even better for both correspondents who ate theirs fresh: Finnish doughnuts! Apparently, these guys sell a variety of classic Finnish baked goods which are either brought in from another bakery (but not Harri) or they have an individual baking for them (in either case, it's nothing open to the public since I don't know about it), since while there, someone was bringing in a whole tray of freshly baked pulla (sweet bread). Having already one loaf in the car, they decided to opt for the coffee and doughnut deal (sans coffee for me). Returning with one, they explained in some confusion that the lady behind the counter called them "monkeys".

Me: "You mean "munkki"?"
Them: (silence) Oh, so that's what it was!

Anyways, a munkki is the Finnish version of a classic, sugar-coated jelly doughnut. As it is, there's nothing overly different about a munkki; perhaps there's a little hint of cardamom in the dough and the jam is good, not this very un-fruity gloop found in some places -- whatever it is, wherever they're bought, munkit are amazing. They just blow (almost) everything else out of the playing field and yet it's difficult to pinpoint what exactly it is that makes them that amazing? Is it that they're perfectly deep-fried with a crunchier exterior and a soft fluffy interior? With tasty jam and classic granulated sugar on the outside? Whatever it is, it is so good and the one from Scandinavian Deli is no exception. :)

Rating: ****