6 Creative Scenes Making Thunder Bay an Arts Hotspot
Bonnie Schiedel
April 1, 2026
There’s the Sleeping Giant, Lake Superior, an impressive lineup of NHL players, but it’s real claim to fame… a sugar coated, slightly messy, and very pink pastry. Yep, we’re talking about the Persian.
If you grew up here, you already know. It’s not just a treat, it’s pretty much a TBay personality trait. People who leave the city, crave it and literally bring boxes back on flights. People visiting for the first time? They get handed one immediately, like some kind of unofficial invitation. Those who’ve never had one…honestly… what are you even doing? Because here’s the thing, this isn’t just a cinnamon bun, and it’s definitely not a donut. It’s something in between, and somehow even better than both.
So what even is a Persian? Despite the name, the Persian has absolutely nothing to do with Persian culture. In fact, it was created right here in Thunder Bay back in the 1940s by Art Bennet at his bakery (now famously tied to The Persian Man).
The name? That’s where things get interesting. According to local legend, Bennett named the pastry after John J. Pershing, an actual American General, after a chance encounter while he was creating the dough. The memorable meeting inspired him to name the treat after him.
Persians can be described as soft, fried, cinnamon swirled dough (kind of like a cinnamon bun’s cooler, funner cousin) topped with a thick layer of iconic, bubblegum colour pink icing. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet, and somehow, just tastes different than anything else you’ve had. If you ask a local what makes it so good? Everyone says the same thing— “it’s the icing.”
If you’re thinking, “okay but what’s in it?”, good luck. The recipe is basically a national secret. The OG recipe has been passed down, locked up, and protected like it’s a government file. Even today, the exact details are still under wraps.
However, after some thorough investigation we do know a few things like it’s richer than a typical cinnamon bun (hello, eggs and buttery dough), the dough is rolled, sliced, and fried and the icing is berry-based… but don’t expect anyone to confirm which berry (Also no, that pink colour isn’t food dye, it’s part of the mystery.)
At this point, the Persian isn’t just a pastry, it’s basically a celebrity. We’re not exaggerating, the Persian is famous. It’s sold at local events and fundraisers, the star of eating contests (yes, really), a staple snack at breakfasts, picnics, road trips, and it’s even inspired merch, from earrings, art, to even fishing lures (created by local artisan Persians in Pastel).
To this day, the Persian remains one of the top (and most popular) delicacies in Thunder Bay. Thousands are made fresh in huge batches at The Persian Man every month, where the original recipe still lives on. The bakery also supplies them to local markets and stores.
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