Giants fuel up on Ohio doughnuts before Super Bowl

CANFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A northeast Ohio farm market saw its doughnut business more than double this week after word spread that some of the New York Giants would be chowing down on blueberry doughnuts from the farm ahead of their Super Bowl appearance, the owner said Sunday.

The mother-in-law of Giants center and former Ohio State player Jim Cordle initially ordered some White House Fruit Farm doughnuts for New York's offensive line, but it created so much buzz that owner Debbie Pifer said the shop decided to donate 10 dozen of the blueberry doughnuts, a favorite of visitors to the small farm in Canfield. The doughnuts were picked up Friday for the trip to Indianapolis, and Pifer said she received photos of team members enjoying the doughnuts on Saturday, a day ahead of their big game against the New England Patriots.

"February is a pretty slow time here on the farm," Pifer told The Associated Press. "It's been quite an adventure this week."

Pifer said things worked out well because the blue icing on the doughnuts coordinated with the team's colors.

Cordle's mother-in-law, Linda McNally, told The Vindicator in Youngstown that Cordle likes to drop by the farm to get fruit when he's in Ohio and developed a tradition of picking up treats for the offensive line.

"Every time he comes to Canfield, he has to bring back the blueberry doughnuts," she said.

Pifer said the link to the big game had generated all sorts of chatter among shoppers and phone inquiries about the treats, including some from out-of-state residents who didn't realize the farm won't ship the doughnuts because they don't include preservatives and wouldn't stay as fresh.

The experience has turned farm staff members into avid Giants fans and fans of Cordle, said Pifer, who also attended Ohio State. She said early Sunday that her family planned to wear Giants colors while watching the game, which New York won, 21-17.