Chef Bari Original Spudnut Recipe

When I was ten years old my parents decided to buy a Spudnut Shop in Vernon,B.C., Canada in 1968. It turns out to be the biggest experience of my life, due to the Spudnuts themselves. I had never tasted such a tasty [donut] in my life, as these particular [donuts] were not donuts at all, but a Spudnut - a special brand of potato flour mix by a franchise that originated in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The original recipe of Spudnuts come from the two brothers -where Bob and Al Pelton in Salt Lake City began the historical adventure of turning [donuts] into something better – Spudnuts – a potato flour ingredient with the use of yeast, pure vegetable shortening and certain spices.

Be sure to check out a great little short story called : The Great Spudnut 

As said, the Spudnuts started with a Spudnut flour mix originated by two ingenious brothers in Salt Lake City. After months of experimentation, they came up with the prefect mix. After perfecting the Spudnut Flour Mix, just like that they became a household name in United States, growing so fast that their next solution was to start a special franchise in Salt Lake City. The brothers had grown from a small spudnut shop to a large growing enterprise with a warehouse and mixing plant. It has been told that you could buy a Spudnut franchise in 1950’s for only $2000.00. Apparently in order to provide orders to the East of United States they decided to open up a warehouse in Cleveland Ohio. But, my mom says that their orders came directly from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Honey Cheesecake with Blueberry Coulis

With the Spudnut Franchaise, you had to order 100 lb bags of 10 [Spudnut mix]per week, which was shipped and delivered to Vancouver,B.C. or Calgary, Alberta, Canada for $75.00. The cost of a signal spudnut was .010 cents each or $1.20 per dozen in 1968. My mom, Betty Watts reminded me that Long johns ( a long style spudnut with chocolate glaze) and jelly filled Spudnuts cost a whole 0.15 cents per Spudnut. Coffee at the time was only 0.10 cents while tea was 0.15 cents. All the prices of the Spudnuts was placed on a green chalk board; my mom would write down the daily specials and the elusive spudnut special price.
In the small town of Vernon,B.C. Canada, the Spudnut Shop was originally owned by hard working Ernie and Betty LeClair. They then placed the shop over to their daughter and husband team – Pearl and John Lehr of Vernon,B.C. As of 1968, my mom Betty Watts bought the Spudnut Shop and this is when we began our Spudnut Adventure.
And what an adventure! My mom opened the little Spudnut Shop in Vernon,B.C. at 6:00 am and closed the shop at 5:00 pm. Long days at six days a week, starting with making the elusive spudnut at 5:00 am from mixing it to rolling it out, to making the round shape of the Spudnut. It was then placed in a warming rising oven [a long rectangular oven with room for baking sheet racks and a small water base container at the bottom] at a temperature of 190 degrees F. until the Spudnuts raised twice to three times the original size.

Big Tip : Please read the recipe out first very carefully before you begin… we use to prepare the recipes the night before the morning of our pastry class)

The original Spudnut Recipe: ( smaller recipe to make it easier to handle)

Ingredients

• 1  cup warm milk
• 3 tablespoons  of butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast
• 1 Large Egg ( Tip: Make sure not cold)
• 2 cups sifted All Purpose Flour 
• 1/2 cup of Pastry Flour
• 1/2 cup of Potato Flour
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Oil for Deep frying 
• 1 cup of sugar 

Method:

(Directions)

1. Heat only a 1/4 cup of your milk in microwave - 20 seconds - your just trying to remove the chill and making it warm ( not hot!)
2. Place yeast in a small bowl with one tablespoon of sugar. Place in warm milk and stir. Let it rest for five to ten minutes.
3. Set up your mixer with dough hook and add 3 tablespoons of sugar, butter and salt and mix until combined.
4. Add one large egg and mix ( do not over mix)
5. Add rest of milk (3/4cup warm)
6. Add the flours and yeast mixture ( do not dump all the flour in at once - incorporate it in step at a time)
7. Mix until it is a smooth dough (Don't over mix it)
8. It must resemble a smooth dough texture like bread dough.
9. Place smooth dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours
10. Place dough on well-floured surface (sprinkle some flour lightly) 
11. Roll out with rolling pin to approximately 1/2 inch - let rest for a good five minutes.
12. Use cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out. You can use your imagination to make the design shown above in photo. Cover  with dry kitchen towel and let rise for five minutes
13. Get your deep fryer cooker ready - heat to a maximum of 350 F
14. Add Spudnut dough a couple at a time and cook each side until golden brown. 
15. Remove to drain on paper towels. Glaze while warm, or just sprinkle with sugar.

The overall process can be daunting without being shown in person. The most problems are encountered with over mixing or attempting a larger batch. Apparently you can also buy Spudnut Mix, but I haven't seen this in Canada.
Join Chef Bari in other great recipes and dishes
About Chef Bari :
Chef Bari is a Certified Chef with his own business in Edmonton, Alberta. He has been a chef for over twenty-five years and caters to discerning professional clients with his Private Chef Services.

Chef Bari was announced Top Apprentice of the Year for Northern Alberta in 1989 with NAIT and C.F.C.C. ( The Canadian Federation of Chefs & Cuisine) He was presented the award at the Derricks Golf  and Country Club by Chef Marcel Paron.

Chef Bari became a member of the C.F.C.C. for over fifteen years and served on the Executive Board as Membership Director for a two year term. He has worked throughout Alberta and British Columbia with prestigious hotels. His best memory is working side-by-side with the foreknown french-born  Chef Angelo born in Paris, France.
He has also had the opportunity to meet and serve Wayne Gretzky while appointed Junior Sous-Chef of the Edmonton Petroleum Club. He also served the L.A. Kings and Edmonton Eskimos during their home games. Chef Bari has entered the Alberta Culinary Salon where he won a Bronze medal for specialty gourmet plates presentation.
He also volunteered his time with the Festival of Fine Chefs at the Mayfield Inn in Edmonton. Bari's commitment to this Festival for over three years were due to the proceeds going to the sick children of Alberta, ( Bari & Patricia lost one of their children - Jenni due to a rare illness).
Check out Edmonton Personal Chefs and please support Chef Bari by purchasing his book - Canadian Recipes of the Great White North

Thank you Chef bari
Check out Chef Bari's Personal Chefs Blogs  and  For further information about Spudnut's - check out Spudnut Information