TWIS Asks: La Dona Donuts

Sometimes it's just easier to order out. There's no planning, no cooking, no cleaning. Did we mention no cooking?

Plus, some of the best guilty pleasure-foods come delivered: pizza, Chinese, gourmet donuts ...

That's right. Thanks to the recently opened La Dona Donuts, you can enjoy gourmet cake batter donuts delivered to your doorstep.

We sat down with founder Chelsea Elliott to talk about where the idea came from, how the service works and the future of the business.

How did La Dona come about?

I was raised here in Sarasota since I was 6, but I moved to Baltimore for about a year. Up there, I saw gourmet donut shops popping up everywhere, so I decided to try making them myself.

What was the learning process like?

Well there was a lot of experimenting. But once I got the hang of it, I felt like I had something going on. My boyfriend and I were planning to move back to Sarasota, and I was excited to bring them back here. As far as I knew, there weren't any gourmet donut shops in the area. The moment I got here, I dove into it full force. I've always worked in the bar and restaurant industry, so I got to know a lot of people here, which was a big help. All those years ended up paying off.

Was this something new for you?

I was always making stuff around the house — cake pops and other things like that. And I love to bake. But with donuts, there's a lot more to it. I asked a lot of donut shops for any tips they could offer, and people were really helpful. There was definitely a lot of trial and error. I'm still learning every day.

How does making donuts compare to other types of baking?

There's so much that goes into it. There's a lot of timing; you can't knead the dough for too long or mix it for too long, and everything has to stay the same temperature. No two donuts ever come out looking the same.

What are your goals for La Dona?

I'd love to get a store open this year. But my main goal has been to create something of my own, which I've been able to do so far. I've had some women call me their inspiration. It's like, "Really? Me?" But that's great. I'd love to be an inspiration for people.

What was your vision for the business?

I wanted to be something different. You know what they say; people eat with their eyes. So with my recipes, I try to make things that are visually appealing, too. It's really exciting for me to see people open the box and look at the donuts. Sometimes people tell me they look too pretty to eat.

How does the delivery service work?

If people want to place an order, they can go to my website. I have a full menu and an order form and contact form. Then they can pay on arrival with cash or credit card. Or, if it's a gift, they can pay ahead of time.

What are your hopes for the future of La Dona?

I definitely want to get a store, and I have a lot of ideas for it. But I'll keep my delivery service. People love it — they treat me like a friend when I show up with the donuts. They'll invite me in and get to know me — I had one lady give me a huge hug. It's not like your typical delivery.

It's been really rewarding just to know that I can do this. Seeing all the support I've been getting is crazy to me. I've realized that I have something really special, and I'm loving every minute of it.