Mashed potatoes - how do you do yours?

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Mashed potatoes - how do you do yours?
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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 3:43 pm Post subject:
Steer clear of Estima (which are very popular in supermarkets). I have never had one that has been any better than acceptable. Morrisons having taken over Safeway near us, we now get to buy potatoes in a paper bag again, and they often have a couple of different varieties. It's great because it means they have been kept in the dark and can breathe, and we can reuse the bags.

Joey

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 191

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 4:00 pm Post subject:
Thanks guy's A chat about spud varieties. I feel right at home. tahir, leave Edward's alone, use your own!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 4:03 pm Post subject:

Joey wrote:

tahir, leave Edward's alone, use your own!

Actually the tastiest floury potato i've ever grown is a Canadian one called Yukon Gold, but the slugs loved it.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 4:34 pm Post subject:

Sharpe's Express has been our favourite so far, very very tasty. But cutting back this year has meant we plumped for King Edwards.

My dad (from round your way Joey, in fact, so am I

) thinks British Queens are the nicest but you don't seem to get them much here, 'cept as seed and I'm not sure I take my dad's word for it that I'd invest so much time and effort in it.

I'm very happy to chat about potato varieties.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 4:34 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

I'm very happy to chat about potato varieties.

Me too.

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 4:55 pm Post subject:

Of the varieties I can buy in the supermarket, I prefer King Edwards or Maris Pipers, (and you're lucky if you can get those - usually it's a choice of house red or house white, like wine!)

I like to dry my taters off before mashing them. I just put them back on a low heat and shake them about a bit while the steam comes off. I don't leave them or they end up stuck. I use a plastic masher of the stick variety and give them hell until they've given in. Depending on the time of year and how well I've cooked them I sometimes get all the lumps out and sometimes I don't. It doesn't seem to worry the kids, and there's usually lots of skin floating around in them so you don't really notice.

I use a fair amount of butter because we like buttery mash, plus as much milk as I need to get the right texture, and freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. I have also been known to use cream and herbs or sour cream and chives if I'm feeling posh, (or just greedy!

)

Though only one of my kids is iffy about mash, I've found that they all actually prefer it when I add onion and carrot or swede to the potatoes when they are cooking, and maybe some chopped parsley and chives after mashing.

But my all-time favourite way of eating mashed potato, (which I hardly ever make these days, for some reason), is with grated cheddar cheese and onion powder mixed in after the mashing stage. Potato cheese - *sigh*. When I was a child I used to like mixing it up with some tinned tomato as well. It goes a bit sloppy, but takes it to new heights of yumminess. (You're allowed to mix your peas in as well if you don't like them!

)

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 7:51 pm Post subject:
I'm a maris piper girl, and when I make cheese and potatoe pie (otherwise known as mashed potatoe with grated cheese in) it all goes horribly worng. It's known in this house as cow pat! You would think it was easy, wouldn't you!? King Edwards are good too.

sue ievers

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 24
Location: powys

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 1:18 pm Post subject:
Try some freshly grated nutmeg when you mash and that really adds to the taste.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28120
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 1:24 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

Steer clear of Estima (which are very popular in supermarkets). I have never had one that has been any better than acceptable.

Morrisons having taken over Safeway near us, we now get to buy potatoes in a paper bag again, and they often have a couple of different varieties. It's great because it means they have been kept in the dark and can breathe, and we can reuse the bags.

We manage to use most of a sack of Morrisons potatos before they are past it. Buying them dirt on, and sorting cool and dark adds a lot of the lifespan.

mrsnesbitt

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1576

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 1:55 pm Post subject:
Leave to dry a bit, processor.........then add cream & spring onions. I ALWAYS do extra.......................for other recipes too Sarah........... ahemmmmmmmmm and em.....end up eating it! is doesn't get into a recipe just my tum!

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 1:58 pm Post subject:

mrsnesbitt wrote:

Leave to dry a bit, processor

What do you mean processor, Mrs N? As in throw it in to the food processor? With a normal blade?

mrsnesbitt

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1576

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 2:23 pm Post subject:
yep! all in.no questions asked.just "get in there you spuds" lark!!!

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 2:27 pm Post subject:
So, it's a myth about the glueyness...or maybe it's cos you let them dry first...either way, experimentation is called for...thanks!

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 05 10:43 pm Post subject:
I've had gluey potatoes when done with a hand blender, but it may well have been that they were a tad too new. If they're properly floury I don't see that there should be any problem. Mmmm, mashed potatoes.....

moggins

Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 05 11:40 pm Post subject:
Just don't steam them above a boiling bacon joint and then try to mash them or you will have something you could use to wallpaper with like I did. I did this seven years ago and have never been allowed to live it down since

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