“You think I’m busy today?” asked Legge. “On weekends, I may bake over two hundred doughnuts in several varieties. And sometimes, even then, we can still sell-out early.” It’s no wonder that Legge’s creations fly off the shelves. Astoria residents and tourists who come to see doughnut royalty in action can’t get enough of Scottish Francis’ morsels of goodness such as the lemon poppy seed doughnut, the prosciutto Guinness and orange creamsicle. There are also a selection of doughnuts that are hand rolled in espresso and bits of chocolate. As this writer sampled the out of this world prosciutto and Guinness doughnut, the chef reminisced about his early years. “I still have my grandma’s cookbook” Legge told me. “ She is the one who influenced me. I would be with her in the kitchen back home in the Scottish Highlands trying my hand at baking.” Continuing on, Legge said “As I got on in life, I would not only focus on traditional Scottish baking and comfort foods, I branched out into international cuisine and pastries. I got my hands on a Chinese cook book. I wanted to see just where the recipes took me.” In fact, it was at the grueling Master Chef audition processin New York that Legge’s “crazy caprese salad” won over the judges and landed him a spot on the show. Legge had a twelve episode run on the show. “The contestants are sequestered on the show,” Legge said. We are away from our families for up to three months and were allowed only limited contact with Joe, Graham and Gordon. You can only interact with the judges during the actual taping and cooking segments. Master Chef is taped on the Paramount studios lot in Los Angeles. Chef was in his element as both a competitor and a showman. “It’s no fun to be away from your family and friends” Legge said. “Our cell phones were even taken away, so we could not leak any info about the show to reporters or fans. They gave us our phones for only five minutes each night so we could touch base with family. However, it is kind of cool to be able to wander around the studio lot between tapings and run into people like LL Cool J from “ NCIS LA.” Legge gets his backbone, love of life and competitive streak , not only from his grandmother, but his mum and dad, who were in the British Military police. In fact, Legge’s mum was on the security detail for none other than Princess Diana and her little princes when they visited the Chelsea barracks. A seasoned traveler, Legge has lived in Paris and also spent time on the lovely Island of Cyprus. Eventually landing in Astoria, Legge got into the music industry as a music video producer and director. Legge’s newest creative venture is 3D photography. Besides the prosciutto and Guinness, LIC Courier also had the pleasure of sampling the Nutella and cinnamon maple doughnuts. Legge puts just the right amount of yeast in his doughnnuts. They are fluffy and not heavy at all. Recently, National Cereal Day inspired Legge to create a cereal doughnut using lucky charms styled mini marshmallows. He also baked a special doughnut for Saint Patrick’s day. Gossip is a retro coffee shop, with decor that is right out of the Jetsons TV show. There’s a fantastic antique coffee grinder on one of the shelves, as well. Soon, Legge will be introducing the “Donini.” It’s a one of a kind take on the traditional panini, with ham, cheese and a tomato sauce-infused doughnut bread base! With warm weather on the horizon, you will be able to enjoy Scottish Francis’ treats in Gossip’s lovely outdoor garden. It’s truly a zen place. Yoga mats are even provided for your relaxation. Why not pair up a doughnut or one of Legge’s handcrafted sandwiches with a selection from their rotating blends of coffee and tea? The fair trade Somalia coffee that this writer sipped was quite good. Many of the coffees are locally roasted and you can take home Gossip’s very own espresso blend. Stop by Gossip Coffee and celebrate the art of the doughnut.
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