Originally posted by Spudnuts From the Spudnuts Museum:
Recently, someone wrote to ask whether writer and chemist Edward Elmer
Smith (1890-1965), aka Doc Smith, had developed the potato-based recipe used in making Spudnuts. No way! That history-altering invention was the brainchild of the Pelton brothers, founders of the Spudnuts chain.
The Pelton boys were working in San Francisco; Bob for a drugstore, Al selling electrical appliances. They wanted to open their own business and thought there was a market opportunity in doughnut making, if they could come up with a good recipe. Potato flour was newly invented and it became the centerpiece of the Peltons' quest to develop the perfect doughnut.
The brothers moved to Salt Lake City, opened a little shop and struck out repeatedly with potato flour based doughnut recipes. Then, Al came up with the crazy, (but clearly inspired), notion to use a mashed potato mix and...waalah!....the result: a large, fluffy, tasty, golden brown delicacy.
As was true of Doc Smith, Bob went into the Navy to assist in the war effort. Al kept the Spudnut flame alive. And, when Bob returned from the war, the brothers developed a dry Spudnut mix that allowed them to ship the product without spoilage and the franchise was born.
So, while Doc Smith may have developed a potato-based doughnut batter, it was not the one that propelled the Pelton brothers into Spudnuts fame!
Isn't history fascinating!
(Note: To the individual who wrote with a request for a Museum brochure, would you please send your address again? I will happily send one your way.)Please send me information. I have the original mix and am distributing it in SLC now.
douglas_bagley@yahoo.com