The humble potato finds its way into so many of our meals. But even if you don’t have fries with your burger, you could still be eating potato in the form of a potato bun. Here, we look at what potato buns are, have a brief run-through of their history, and explain why they are ideal as burger buns.
What is a Potato Bun?
If you want to make your burgers extra special, you might want to consider using potato buns instead of regular buns. Their pillowy-soft insides make them fluffier and bouncier than your average burger bun.
But what exactly is a potato bun? Well, it is a bun made from potato bread. This is a special type of bread where either potato or potato flour replaces some of the wheat flour. The amount of potato varies depending on the recipe. Some recipes will be made mainly from potato, whilst others will be mainly made from wheat flour.
Who Invented the Potato Bun?
Or rather, who invented potato bread? Because potato bread doesn’t only come in the form of a bun.
If we go back to the 16th century, the potato was introduced to Europe by the Spanish. Through the 17th century, potatoes became more widely grown in more countries. During the 18th century, France had a lot of famine, particularly during the wars. A successful apothecary, Antoine Parmentier, looked into using potatoes to solve this problem.
To promote potatoes as a staple food, Parmentier then had a meal with influential people such as Benjamin Franklin and Antoine Lavoisier. For this meal, he prepared many dishes with potatoes as the main ingredient, including potato bread. The meal wasn’t actually that great, but the press jumped on it as a marvellous discovery.
Fast forward to the 20th century, potato bread became popular during the First World War. The Germans called it kriegskartoffelbrot, which translates as potato war bread.
So, we have the hardship of the past to thank for the delicious, fluffy potato bun we know and love today.
Are they Ideal for Burgers?
Yes, absolutely! And there are several reasons why. For a start, there is the wonderful mouthfeel – it gently melts in the mouth as soon as you start eating it. In addition, it has a neutral flavour, not too sweet, which doesn’t interfere with the taste of your burger.
You might also find the potato bun easier to digest. This is due to the action of the potato starch, which disrupts the gluten from forming its network. The potato starch also holds more moisture, allowing the bun to stay fresh for longer.
Then there is the potassium content of the potatoes. Not only is potassium an essential mineral we all need, but it also accelerates the yeast activity, causing the dough to rise more quickly.
Not Every Potato Bun is Created Equal
While there are many potato buns available to buy, some are better than others. At Millers Bespoke Bakery, we take great care in creating all our breads, including our delicious potato buns. So if you are looking for a top-quality potato bun, look no further.