By Stacey Patton Wallace
According to Google, a beignet is “a fritter or a square of fried dough eaten hot and sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.” Growing up in Alexander City, Alabama, (“Eleck City” to the locals), beignets were very unfamiliar to me.
I was first introduced to beignets back in the ‘90s. My friend Ashley, a fellow teacher, and I were visiting her sister in Louisiana over spring break. We spent a day in New Orleans, enjoying the sights and dining at the famous Café Du Monde. Ashley, a consumer of beignets, warned me before the exotic dish arrived. “When you bite into the beignet, don’t inhale, or you’ll get powdered sugar up your nose.”
I wisely listened and did as she said. I bit into the beignet, savoring the sweet, warm taste of pure contentment. I immediately became a big beignet fan.
Therefore, when my friend Leigh Ann and I arrived at Mo’Bay Beignet Company on North College Street in Auburn last week, I was an experienced beignet consumer. I knew exactly what I was doing. The original Mo’Bay Beignet Company is in Mobile, and the second one came to Auburn in March of this year.
Leigh Ann and I both chose the three beignets. Mo’Bay offers several syrups for dipping: butter cream, cinnamon and seasonal; last week’s seasonal was strawberry. Leigh Ann chose cinnamon, and I opted for butter cream and strawberry.
Mo’Bay offers coffees such as café au lait, coffee and chicory pecan praline and cold brew. In addition, diners may choose from a variety of cold beverages.
Our beignets were wonderful: warm, sweet and delicious. Also, we had huge mounds of confectioners’ sugar which coated our beignets. My taste buds were extremely happy that day.
“I wish Mo’Bay had been at Auburn when we were in school,” I said to Leigh Ann; she quite agreed.
I, unfortunately, am a dripper. No matter how hard I try to be tidy, more often than not, a dollop of something usually decorates my blouse by the end of a meal, much to the amusement of my husband, Mike. Also, all that powdered sugar was just waiting to pounce on me. Surprisingly, however, the sugar missed me, targeting the table instead. Leigh Ann, a tidy diner, had no powdered sugar in front of her. I love her anyway.
I was so proud of myself for not wearing a layer of powdered sugar; however … I then noticed a strawberry-colored spot on my blouse. I looked as though I had been shot.
The staff at Mo’Bay Beignet Company was extremely sweet and helpful. Also, the restaurant’s interior was really attractive. I’m no designer, believe me, but I would call the décor modern; the color scheme was black and white, and there were panoramic pictures of Auburn University.
Besides delectable beignets, Mo’Bay has a variety of other items for sale: mugs, t-shirts, coffee, caps, tumblers and syrup jars, which make cute gift baskets.
Also, Mo’Bay is a pet friendly restaurant. While Leigh Ann and I were there, a young woman came in with the cutest black and white puppy. His name was Oliver, and she said that he was a rescue dog. Man’s best friend really made us smile.
Mo’Bay Beignet Company is open seven days a week: Sunday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday- and Saturday from 9 a.m. until midnight.
Mo’Bay Beignet Company makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!
Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in the Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com.