'We're part of the soul of the city' - My visit to hugely popular doughnut stall in Wolverhampton city centre
It's a familiar site in Wolverhampton city centre, one which brings people in from all over the country to enjoy the family recipe and rich flavours and leaves behind a sugary and sweet aftertaste which makes you want more.
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One treat which meets with universal agreement is the humble doughnut, a tasty treat which comes in all shapes and sizes, filled, covered or layered in sugar.
As National Doughnut week runs in the UK between May 10 and May 18, there are plenty of places where you can buy a box of soft, sugary and very moreish donuts, with Krispy Kreme and Greggs among those selling donuts by the dozen.
However, if you want to shy away from the chains and try something with more of a family feel and an independent spirit, then may I direct your attention to Dudley Street in Wolverhampton.
As you walk out of the Mander Centre and head up onto Dudley Street, chances are you'll sense a rich and sugary smell in the air which will cause you to turn left and see a green stall in the middle of the road.
This humble stall is Green's Doughnuts which, since 1986, has been creating, frying and selling ring and filled, otherwise known as Berliner, doughnuts to a customer base which includes a man from London who makes a weekly trip to buy doughnuts from the stall.
Owner Rob Green has been part of the family business for years and said every doughnut was made to a special and, above all, secret recipe and said that the stall was part of the heart and soul of the city.
He said: "We see that everyone gets treated equally, from students right through to pensioners, and our philosophy is to make them with the best quality that we can for the best price we can.
"It's our own family recipe that we created and we've maintained that, even if it sometimes means the profitability take a hit, and it's all about the quality for me.
"When people first come to see us, they're shocked how cheap we are, and we're one of the cheapest in the country, and we've maintained that because we're supporting local people.
"When they come up and try them, they will say they've never tried anything like them and that's great as I'm following in my father's legacy and, I hope, still doing a great job of supplying fantastic quality doughnuts at a reasonable price."
That price is one of the first top marks for Green's Doughnuts, with four ring doughnuts for £2 or 10 for £5, as well as a decadent range of topped Berliner doughnuts covered in chocolate, caramel and all manner of other sticky toppings for around £2 each.
Mr Green said the ring doughnuts were his favourites and, having lived in Wolverhampton for nearly 40 years myself, I've tried them in the past and loved them as well.
However, it had been a long time and it seemed like the right time to buy a few and try them out to see if they were as good as I remembered.
The stall always has a good line of ring doughnuts ready to be sold, so I ordered a bag of four with the sugar on top, glistening in the spring sunshine both before and after being put in the bag.
When you pick one up, the first thing you notice is the notable lack of grease. The doughnuts are deep fried, but having them sat on the counter helps them to dry off from the excess fat, meaning less mess on your fingers.
The feel of the doughnut is soft without being brittle, with the ring being very sturdy as you lift it up, while the first bite brings the flavour of the sugar straight to your teeth and tastebuds, followed by soft and tasty dough and a nice crisp feeling as you chew.
They are, for want of a better phrase, divine. Full of flavour, soft and crisp and very moreish, without the worry of being covered in oil and you could easily take down a packet of four without taking a breath.
The independent spirit for doughnuts is alive and well during National Doughnut week and Mr Green said that Green's Doughnuts was a leader in that field due to its understanding of its customers.
He said: "There are trends which are set in this country and you can't just be chasing a trend or trying to be famous on TikTok.
"While we do follow a trend of making special donuts, such as pistachio and chocolate, we try to make sure we supply our local market and treat them well.
"As an independent trader, we can do that better than the chains as I feel that we understand the whole market better and make quality doughnuts for all."
Green's Doughnuts make quality products which are cheap and cheerful, but made with love and expertise and are just really, really good.
There are other places across the region where you can visit to experience quality donuts with an independent spirit:
