The Story
I’ve been a fan of potato breads all my life. Cooked potato adds moistness and tenderness to all sorts of breads.
A couple of months ago my wife asked me what I’d like for my birthday dinner. I thought for a moment and said that it had been years since we’ve enjoyed real Maine lobster. Rather than spend a lot of money dining out why not have them flown in live to our home? I said I’d research sources, do the ordering, and cook the lobsters myself. Now, what does this have to do with homemade potato buns? The lobsters were sweet and utterly memorable and we had enough leftover meat to make lobster rolls the next day. But where would I find the soft, yet substantial, yeast buns to hold the filling? The answer: Make them myself.
Potato Bread Tips
I’ve been a fan of potato breads all my life. Cooked potato adds moistness and tenderness to all sorts of breads. The potato starches swell up tremendously and retain their moisture, so yeast doughs bake up especially soft, yet durable. You can’t squish a potato bun into nothing like so many store-bought breads. You can use these buns for hot dogs or any kind of filling that pleases you. These buns contain a small amount of barley malt syrup which adds a mild sweetness to dough. It is sold in jars in specialty markets and health food stores and, once opened, keeps for years in the refrigerator. If you can’t find it or don’t bake bread very often, just substitute honey.