Here’s a little secret about the Kaiser roll that most people aren’t aware of:
It’s all smoke and mirrors.
Once upon a time, that petal pattern you see atop Kaiser rolls was achieved through the work of expert hands repeatedly hammering, flouring and folding dough.
Today they’re just dough balls pushed in by what’s called a Kaiser stamp.
This revelation comes courtesy of the men behind the Artisan Kaiser bakery-style café that’s in the works for Havens Avenue in Patchogue Village.
“Most commercial bakeries form a ball of dough and then run it through a machine,” said Kaiser Roll co-owner Frank Dalba of Centereach. “We make our rolls old school, and that would be hand-tying, which results in a different style, and a different look.”
And a completely different experience.
“With the [stamped product] there’s no layers of flavor that you get from the hand-tied Kaiser rolls,” Dalba said.
Dalba and Paul Hess of Shirley will be building a business — and a brand — between the Kaiser roll, and the concept of making what’s old new again.
Their café will offer lunch and breakfast sandwiches on hand-tied Kaisers, as well as soups, salads and desserts.
They will also be baking fresh bread daily — not just Kaiser rolls — for wholesale.
Kaiser Roll will be located within the New Village at Patchogue retail and residential complex, it was announced last month. The owners are hoping for a summer opening.
Dalba and Hess had worked together at Stop and Shop’s Peapod in Medford, where they became fast friends some four years ago.
They later began hatching a plan for their own business.
With Hess doing the baking — Dalba is an accountant — they tested their rolls last summer at farmers markets across Long Island.
They knew they were onto something.
“The people would double back and then buy again,” Dalba said.
The reason people don’t make Kaiser rolls the olden way is simple.
“It’s just too labor intensive” explained Hess, who will be baking and helping run the café.
Artisan Kaiser will be open at 6 a.m. daily, although baking will start around 3-4 a.m. The 2,100-square-foot café will seat about 35 to 40, and be serving coffee from Roast Coffee & Tea Company on East Main Street.
The decor will be rustic yet modern, with a somewhat industrial in look, the partners said.
As for the menu, Dalba says they’re trying to take traditional deli offerings, like the Hungry Man, yet trim the fat and grease and elevate the flavors. The dessert menu includes a blueberry streusel loaf, banana walnut loaf, carrot cake and oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies.
And the Kaiser rolls will come in five flavors (to start): classic, cinnamon swirl, onion-poppy, tomato basil and garlic-parmesan.
Here are a few items we liked (all on Kaisers):
Healthy Kaiser : two eggs whites, roasted chicken, pepperjack
Kaiser Cheese Steak: thin sliced steak, caramelized onions, cheese sauce
Vegetarian: Roasted tomato, mozzarella, roasted red pepper, creamy pesto
“We’re trying to play off the classics and elevate them a bit,” said Dalba.
Photo of Artisan Kaiser-brand rolls comes courtesy of Paul Hess.
