It is a non-negotiable: When vegan doughnuts are available, one must consume said doughnuts. We followed this very edict this morning on our way out of Asheville. Our fried dough purveyor of choice? Vortex Doughnuts.

Don’t let the oddly negative reviews on HappyCow fool you: Vortex has plenty of vegan options, and not just of the cake variety. We found eight (8!) yeasted varieties on offer this morning, all of them looking fresh and delicious. I opted for a glazed apple fritter, which was bursting with pieces of apple and a nice sweet glaze. If I had one critique, it would be that the dough was just the tiniest bit dense, but that might’ve been thanks to all those lovely apple bits. Steven opted for a blueberry- and lemon-glazed doughnut and pronounced it “really good,” with a pleasant tang. (His coffee — the light roast — was less than stellar, but my dark roast was perfectly pleasant.)

We weren’t heading out of North Carolina straight away, however: We were stopping at the ASPCA’s Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Weaverville, where a friend and former coworker now works! Sarah gave us a wonderful, comprehensive tour of this lifesaving, life-changing facility, which is really one of a kind. Trained behaviorists used time-tested protocols to help prepare fearful dogs from horrific situations  — fighting rings, hoarding, puppy mills — for adoption. The idea is to gather data, fine-tune the protocols, and share them with shelters around the country so they can develop their own programs. It’s really amazing work, and I loved hearing about it.

Of course, we couldn’t show up empty-handed! Sarah is also vegan, so we brought a half-dozen doughnuts for her to share with coworkers and her husband. I wish I could remember all the varieties we selected, but we were slightly rushed in the morning and I didn’t snap a photo of the doughnut case. I know there was an espresso-glazed, a chocolate-glazed, one with cinnamon and sugar… something with vanilla… an unglazed apple fritter… and some others. :) All fabulous, I’m sure!