MASHED POTATOES-Question

Don't forget colcannon:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_22600,00.html

Sorry, I can't help it folks. Everytime I see this thread I get this song stuck in my head. Misery loves company so now you guys get to hear it over and over again too.

Mashed Potato Time
Dee Dee Sharp
Written by Jon Sheldon and Harry Land

Peaked at # 1 in 1962

It's the latest, it's the greatest,
Mashed Patato, ya, ya ,ya

A Mashed Potato started long time ago
With a guy named Sloppy Joe,
You'll find this dance is so cool to do,
Come on baby, gonna teach it to you.

Mashed Potato, feel it in your feet now,
Mashed Potato, come on get the beat now,
Baby, come on honey, come on baby.

And then they dance it through and through,
They look for records they can do it to,
They got a dance was outta sight,
Doin' the lion sleeps tonight.

Mashed Potato, Ya a weem o wep a weem o wep,
Mashed Potato, ya, ya, ya, ya,
It's the latest, aw baby,
It's the greatest, come on honey,
Ya, ya ya, ya,

Now everybody is doin' fine,
They dance alone or in a big boss line,
And they discovered it's the most, man,
The day they did it to Please Mr. Postman.

Mashed Potato, wait a minute, wait a minute,
Mashed Potato, deliver de letter,
It's the latest, come on baby,
It's the greatest, oh honey,
Ya, ya, ya, ya.

Well they got with more and more,
Ya ought to see 'em around the floor,
The Mashed Potato ??????????
They even do it to Dear Lady Twist.

Mashed Potato, ya, ya, ya, ya,
It's the latest, come on baby,
It's the greatest, oh honey,
Mashed potato, feel the groovy beat now.

Heres my low down on mashed,for what it's worth.

Not all potatoes make for good mashed.All the modern variety genetically treated to be sweeter are no good to my taste buds.I think idaho must be the best and lets prey they don,t get contaminated. Now you boil the potatoes whole after scrubbing them clean. Boil to desired doneness and then drain and mash as is with butter and fresh pepper to grind right into it.Add some seasalt and then slowly add the milk to desired consistency.

At this stage of events without having down too much mashing yet because some of us like lumps. Be very carefull unless you want pureed potatoe leave some lumps for good texture.

Over whisking or washing with a masher or even stiriing too much will make some potatoes then coagulate into a starchy mash. Almost unsaveable.

All potatoe can be used for wonderfull fish cakes the next day or so.

Reheating potaoes the oldfashion way works for me best.A black thin frying skillet really hot to put a brown fry edgeon the potatoe when reheating. This takes it to another leavel. You never want to ever stir too much for the above mentioned reason.

Here in my forties I have been quite fond of mashed potatoes woth real roast turkey gravy.It's almost as good as sex....

Piffka, I've been thinking about knishes for weeks. If you can find one, please tell me where!

Somehow deli food from the East Coast just doesn't translate out here. I have a friend from New Jersey who imports sandwich rolls from her favorite bakery back there a couple times a year and throws a "sandwich party" -- roasts beef & pork, scrambles eggs & peppers for vegetarians. Getting the bread sent in is worth it -- I haven't had a local roll to compare!

Ah, knishes.

We have a copy (on VHS) of old 8 mm home movies of my mother's Sweet Sixteen party. And on film, in glorious though somewhat shaky color, is my grandmother making knishes. We do not have this recipe; unfortunately my mother, aunt, cousin and I never got it from Baba (I was only 8 when she passed away; I have an excuse).

Anyway, it's been 33 years since I had one of her knishes but I do remember what they tasted like. It was also taters, salt, pepper, onions and oil within dough but - argh! - there was just something about 'em.

I miss her.

latkes, now that what Im talkin about.

I looked it up, Wy, and there's a place called... I think... Leah's Deli on 65th NW. Just google Seattle Potato Knish (it's a pitiful selection and you'll quickly find the listing).

I would love to send you all
Hugs and Knishes !

Huggies and Dishes to you too, Algis!

That is so Sweet! Please do!!!

Hugs and knishes.

Fealola
Fealola, I came across this recipe in today's newspaper:

MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

3 pounds russet (Idaho) potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
1-1/2 cups half and half (cream and milk), plus extra, if necessary
Salt, to taste
6 tablespoons butter, softened

Place the potatoes in a large pan with water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender when pierced.

Heat the half and half in the microwave oven.

Process the unpeeled potatoes through a food mill into a medium bowl. Or, using a potholder, peel and drop them into a bowl.

Puree the potatoes using a potato masher or standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Stir in the half and half and a sprinling of salt, or beat using a mixer, until smooth and fluffy. The mashed potatoes can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Thirty minutes before serving, microwave until the potatoes are warm. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir in the butter to melt. Cover with plastic wrap. Keep warm until serving time.

Serves 8 to 10.

Mrs. SealPoet has introduced me to two additional steps in potato mashing...

After you drain the spuds, put them back on the heat for a minute. That takes out more water.

Add a few drops of Tabasco! Not so much that you can really taste it, but it adds a depth to the spuds...

I have almost mastered my great Aunt's knish recipe, with really nothing to go on. I use a loose strudel dough and caramelized onions with the mash. If I have schmaltz around, I use it, otherwise, a mix of butter and canola oil. Ahh, the potato....a true culinary artist's palette for so many things.

Re: MASHED POTATOES-Question


No, No, and No

Hey, am I in the Politics thread? Wilso, the microwave is god's gift to reheating starches, and I charge people a lot for doing such stuff. However, They must be made and reheated the day of serving, or they go 'fridgy', absorbing strange odours from whatever you have in there. My preference is for a firm-fleshed yellow potato (Yukon Gold or Klondike Rose) which have texture, and a potato ricer. I'm not fond of lumps really, but if the potato is firm enough, the ricer will leave some texture.

I should explain. I can't stand mashed potatoes no matter how or when they were cooked.

Ahh, well that explains it then. You are forgiven, heh heh.

BTW: besides the egg, add (a little bit of) nutmeg as well.

i like that gilbert quote!