Persian (roll)

A Persian, Persian roll or Pershing is a fried sweet roll or doughnut with a spiral shape similar to a cinnamon bun. It may be covered with a sugar glaze, iced or frosted,^[2] or sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon sugar. The roll is especially popular around Thunder Bay, Ontario. Despite its name, the name is unrelated to the Persian Empire.^[3]

Persian

A Persian roll as made in Thunder Bay Ontario, Canada
Alternative names	Pershing
Type	Doughnut
Main ingredients	Sweet dough[1] or doughnut batter
Variations	Iced, glazed, cinnamon sugar
Media: Persian

Regional variations

In Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, it is said to have originated at Bennett's Bakery in Port Arthur, where it is served with a sweet, pink icing made of either raspberries or strawberries. Traditional lore is that the Persian was named for U.S. general John "Blackjack" Pershing^[4][5] but the exact date of its inception and circumstances of its creation are no longer known, giving rise to competing claims and stories. Its recipe remains a secret, with long-running debates on whether the icing contains raspberries or strawberries. Persians are often used as fundraising items to be sold at schools, churches, shopping malls, and other social events.^[6] They may be served "toasted" – sliced in half, heated in a frying pan and iced on both sides.^[5]

In Camden, Maine, they were historically made with chocolate frosting.^[7] In Lehighton, Pennsylvania, they were served with chocolate or vanilla icing with a dollop of cherry–strawberry glaze. Persian buns in Wisconsin can have white (vanilla) or chocolate frosting and then topped with crushed peanuts. ^[8] A version is also sold as a "Pershing Donut" at Titus Bakery in Lebanon, Indiana.^[9]