OT Potatos

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?
We have two potato mashers, and I really can't blame him for not using
them I guess. One is an old style wooden one, only it is rounded at
the end instead of flat, which makes it really hard to use. The other
is one of those modern bent steel with slots sort of things, and it
is way too bendy to be very useful.
His idea of hand mashers are the zig zag ones, he thinks they are good
because you can bend them back into shape when you are done.
On my planet they shouldn't bend in the first place.

The hand mixer died.
He doesn't want to drag out the stand mixer for potatos, the pan
wouldn't fit and taking it off the stand for something like that seems
a bit extreme. So when we have boiled taters now, we have boiled
taters. (Yay!) Which means there are sometimes left over potatos for a
fry up! (G) If I can beat the rest of the house to them, "potatos and
salt, and find no fault" means something here. I am lucky if I have
any to work with when I boil them and leave them to cool for chips!

We will of course be getting a new hand mixer.
I am also thinking very very hard about spending $10 on a decent
potato masher. The kind I know best are the ones that are sort of
wannabe ricers, a steel plate with holes in it on a handle. DH is
absolutely convinced that the plate will come away from the handle on
those. My mom has been using the same one for over fifty years, if
anybody can destroy a kitchen gadget in five minutes or less it is
her. On the other hand new ones might not be as well made.
I think I will take the risk, even though I will have to mail order.
Besides, that kind of masher just rocks for juicing fruit to make
jelly or wine.

DH says if I want the tatos mashed by hand I can do it myself.
I am willing to make the sacrifice if it meands no more library paste
and gravy.

NightMist
--

Legolas is my house elf

my dh also does most of the cooking around here.
we have an electric hand mixer, a stick blender, a regular blender and a
food processor but all our spuds get mashed with the hand held potato
masher. always have been, always will be.
we still have the first spud masher we bought for our first home 31yrs ago
now. it is metal masher with wooden handle. we also acquired MILs when she
went into the nursing home. hers is metal masher (different config to ours)
with plastic handle.
we use whichever one is closer when we reach for it in the countertop
container of most used utensils.
all the wooden spoons/forks/spatulas, the masher, the rubber spatula are in
that one container (white pitcher that belonged to my Grandma).
there is another smaller container for smaller wooden utensils and the
various paring/spreading knives.
there is a knift block for the bigger knives and another wooden cylinder
with odds and sods i like to see but they are used now and then. the small
marble mortar and pestle is there too.
oops, sorry, i drifted off topic.
yup, we mash by hand and no gloopy stuff around here, no lumps either.
its not rocket science and not that hard or time consuming to mash'em by
hand.
j.


"NightMist" wrote ...

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?
We have two potato mashers, and I really can't blame him for not using
them I guess. One is an old style wooden one, only it is rounded at
the end instead of flat, which makes it really hard to use. The other
is one of those modern bent steel with slots sort of things, and it
is way too bendy to be very useful.
His idea of hand mashers are the zig zag ones, he thinks they are good
because you can bend them back into shape when you are done.
On my planet they shouldn't bend in the first place.

The hand mixer died.
He doesn't want to drag out the stand mixer for potatos, the pan
wouldn't fit and taking it off the stand for something like that seems
a bit extreme. So when we have boiled taters now, we have boiled
taters. (Yay!) Which means there are sometimes left over potatos for a
fry up! (G) If I can beat the rest of the house to them, "potatos and
salt, and find no fault" means something here. I am lucky if I have
any to work with when I boil them and leave them to cool for chips!

We will of course be getting a new hand mixer.
I am also thinking very very hard about spending $10 on a decent
potato masher. The kind I know best are the ones that are sort of
wannabe ricers, a steel plate with holes in it on a handle. DH is
absolutely convinced that the plate will come away from the handle on
those. My mom has been using the same one for over fifty years, if
anybody can destroy a kitchen gadget in five minutes or less it is
her. On the other hand new ones might not be as well made.
I think I will take the risk, even though I will have to mail order.
Besides, that kind of masher just rocks for juicing fruit to make
jelly or wine.

DH says if I want the tatos mashed by hand I can do it myself.
I am willing to make the sacrifice if it meands no more library paste
and gravy.

NightMist
--

Legolas is my house elf

I am also thinking very very hard about spending $10 on a decent
potato masher. The kind I know best are the ones that are sort of
wannabe ricers, a steel plate with holes in it on a handle. DH is
absolutely convinced that the plate will come away from the handle on
those. My mom has been using the same one for over fifty years, if
anybody can destroy a kitchen gadget in five minutes or less it is
her.

I have one like that. I've only had it for about 20 years (it was
probably about 30 years old when I got it) so it's too early to say
if it's really durable, but I'd take the chance anyway.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted ******

"NightMist" wrote in message
...

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?

I've only ever had potatoes mashed that way. My mom used a mixer, I use a
mixer. I use the zigzag thing to smash them first... just like my mom did.

Since taters and gravy are just about my favorite food, I guess I better
know how to make them better.

Cindy

I swear by my old-fashioned potato masher like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips...4354977&sr=8-1
or http://tiny.cc/pNfjZ

I have never seen one of these bend out of shape. It is very easy to use.
(Believe me, I have tendonitis and arthritis in my hands, and I just used
this masher this evening without any significant pain.)

I agree about the electric mixer for potatoes. Totally yuck.

ep




"NightMist" wrote in message
...

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?
We have two potato mashers, and I really can't blame him for not using
them I guess. One is an old style wooden one, only it is rounded at
the end instead of flat, which makes it really hard to use. The other
is one of those modern bent steel with slots sort of things, and it
is way too bendy to be very useful.
His idea of hand mashers are the zig zag ones, he thinks they are good
because you can bend them back into shape when you are done.
On my planet they shouldn't bend in the first place.

The hand mixer died.
He doesn't want to drag out the stand mixer for potatos, the pan
wouldn't fit and taking it off the stand for something like that seems
a bit extreme. So when we have boiled taters now, we have boiled
taters. (Yay!) Which means there are sometimes left over potatos for a
fry up! (G) If I can beat the rest of the house to them, "potatos and
salt, and find no fault" means something here. I am lucky if I have
any to work with when I boil them and leave them to cool for chips!

We will of course be getting a new hand mixer.
I am also thinking very very hard about spending $10 on a decent
potato masher. The kind I know best are the ones that are sort of
wannabe ricers, a steel plate with holes in it on a handle. DH is
absolutely convinced that the plate will come away from the handle on
those. My mom has been using the same one for over fifty years, if
anybody can destroy a kitchen gadget in five minutes or less it is
her. On the other hand new ones might not be as well made.
I think I will take the risk, even though I will have to mail order.
Besides, that kind of masher just rocks for juicing fruit to make
jelly or wine.

DH says if I want the tatos mashed by hand I can do it myself.
I am willing to make the sacrifice if it meands no more library paste
and gravy.

NightMist
--

Legolas is my house elf

I love potatoes and gravy. Love that combo better than ..... almost
anything. We don't have gravy anymore -- it doesn't fit into the new
fitness regime which dictates one steamed veggie, one starch,
sometimes a meat or meat substitute, a green salad. Once in a while we
have oven roasted potatoes, but it's been months since I was able to
sneak in good mashed potatoes (by hand) with butter and milk and salt.
Even then, no gravy. I live for Thanksgiving. We have gravy then, AND
mashed potatoes, AND yams fixed the way I like them.

I don't know if we'll live longer or if it will just feel like it. I
am not losing weight on this food plan (not really a diet), and I
think it's because my body doesn't recognize what I'm eating as food
and therefore has gone into permanent starvation mode. I do get an ice
cream cone on a semi-regular basis. But it doesn't make up for
potatoes and gravy.

Eat some for me.

Sigh,
Sunny

Hoo!

That is the very one I was considering!

Had DH read what you said and he considers that a powerful statement
in favor of the thing.

He won't be able to resist using it at least once. It is just how he
is. If it as easy as I bet it will be I'll win on this!
w00Tt!

NightMist

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:58:57 -0500, "Edna Pearl"
wrote:

I swear by my old-fashioned potato masher like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips...4354977&sr=8-1
or http://tiny.cc/pNfjZ

I have never seen one of these bend out of shape. It is very easy to use.
(Believe me, I have tendonitis and arthritis in my hands, and I just used
this masher this evening without any significant pain.)

I agree about the electric mixer for potatoes. Totally yuck.

ep




"NightMist" wrote in message
...

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?
We have two potato mashers, and I really can't blame him for not using
them I guess. One is an old style wooden one, only it is rounded at
the end instead of flat, which makes it really hard to use. The other
is one of those modern bent steel with slots sort of things, and it
is way too bendy to be very useful.
His idea of hand mashers are the zig zag ones, he thinks they are good
because you can bend them back into shape when you are done.
On my planet they shouldn't bend in the first place.

The hand mixer died.
He doesn't want to drag out the stand mixer for potatos, the pan
wouldn't fit and taking it off the stand for something like that seems
a bit extreme. So when we have boiled taters now, we have boiled
taters. (Yay!) Which means there are sometimes left over potatos for a
fry up! (G) If I can beat the rest of the house to them, "potatos and
salt, and find no fault" means something here. I am lucky if I have
any to work with when I boil them and leave them to cool for chips!

We will of course be getting a new hand mixer.
I am also thinking very very hard about spending $10 on a decent
potato masher. The kind I know best are the ones that are sort of
wannabe ricers, a steel plate with holes in it on a handle. DH is
absolutely convinced that the plate will come away from the handle on
those. My mom has been using the same one for over fifty years, if
anybody can destroy a kitchen gadget in five minutes or less it is
her. On the other hand new ones might not be as well made.
I think I will take the risk, even though I will have to mail order.
Besides, that kind of masher just rocks for juicing fruit to make
jelly or wine.

DH says if I want the tatos mashed by hand I can do it myself.
I am willing to make the sacrifice if it meands no more library paste
and gravy.

NightMist
--

Legolas is my house elf



--

Legolas is my house elf

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:57:25 -0500, "teleflora"
wrote:


"NightMist" wrote in message
...

Many many men are fine, nay, excellent cooks.
My husband is one of them.
However he has some quirks.
Aside from leaving food and things in the middle of the dirty dishes
next to the sink, the one thing that I hate about when he cooks is his
use of the mixer to mash potatos. It all but chokes me to try and eat
them when they are done like that. Can you say overworked pasty goo?

I've only ever had potatoes mashed that way. My mom used a mixer, I use a
mixer. I use the zigzag thing to smash them first... just like my mom did.

Since taters and gravy are just about my favorite food, I guess I better
know how to make them better.


It is going to depend on how you do.
DH whips the poor spuds to within an inch of their life.
If you don't overwork them too badly they are probably fine.
I reckon it takes a touch, and you might just have it.

NightMist
--

Legolas is my house elf

I have recently read two treatises on mashed potatoes. One is an
essay in an excellent anthology by Mark Kurlansky, "The Food of a
Younger Land." Among many reviews:
http://www.slate.com/id/2219170/
The essay was written in the 1930's by a woman who had very decided
opinions about mashed potatoes. It's a hoot.

The second is in "Mouth Wide Open" by the wonderful food writer John
Thorne.
Here 'tis, courtesy of Google Books: http://tinyurl.com/y9bqpqu

At our house we scrub the taters well, cut them into chunks, boil
them, drain the water, and use a potato masher. We do not add milk.
We do not whip them. I like a little butter; DH likes salt & pepper.
We have been known to boil chunked carrots with the taters and mash
them together. We call that a smush, and the result is tasty indeed.

Nann
in northeasternmost Illinois
who has enjoyed the four episodes of Ken Burns' "National Parks" while
stitching this week....one more evening to go....

On Sep 30, 7:41*pm, Nann wrote:
I have recently read two treatises on mashed potatoes. *One is an
essay in an excellent anthology by Mark Kurlansky, "The Food of a
Younger Land." *Among many reviews:http://www.slate.com/id/2219170/
The essay was written in the 1930's by a woman who had very decided
opinions about mashed potatoes. *It's a hoot.

The second is in "Mouth Wide Open" by the wonderful food writer John
Thorne.
Here 'tis, courtesy of Google Books: *http://tinyurl.com/y9bqpqu

At our house we scrub the taters well, cut them into chunks, boil
them, drain the water, and use a potato masher. *We do not add milk.
We do not whip them. *I like a little butter; DH likes salt & pepper.
We have been known to boil chunked carrots with the taters and mash
them together. We call that a smush, and the result is tasty indeed.

Nann
in northeasternmost Illinois
who has enjoyed the four episodes of Ken Burns' "National Parks" while
stitching this week....one more evening to go....

Carrots in mashed potatoes are very good, we also sometimes add mashed
cauliflower. Very tasty.
Julie in SFBA