16 Comments

I make mine the Joel Robuchon way. Once the potatoes have been riced, start adding butter, a lot of it. Once the potatoes can’t take any more, you can see the butter splitting out from the potato you add a dash of hot milk which emulsifies it and make a smooth delicious mash that is seriously decedent!

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I've had it this way once, at Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas, and it essentially changed my life.

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Oct 19, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

I'm a purist when it comes to mashed potatoes...milk, butter, salt and white pepper. I'd prefer the garlic be in the accompanying dish.

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Why white pepper specifically?

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Oct 21, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

Ah, classical French culinary training...white pepper in white food...can't seem to let that one go.

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Oct 17, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

Yes! Depends on what else your mashing. No garlic with horseradish pour moi, but yes with most cheesey enhancers

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"Cheese: ENHANCE!"

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I FORGOT ABOUT HORSERADISH. Add that to my vote.

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Oct 17, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

I certainly wouldn't mind garlic in my mashed potatoes, but usually I just want them to be a vehicle for gravy so why bother? My family has some dietary restrictions (a lot of my family keeps kosher and my sister in law is vegan) that prevent the use of dairy so we previously used non-dairy milk and olive oil in our mashed potatoes, but they were never that great. Last year we made an Ottolenghi recipe (I think from Simple?) that used olive oil and lots of herbs and lemon, which some people might hate for thanksgiving but we all liked them because we didn't have to use mediocre fake dairy. If I make them on my own I use milk and butter.

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That does sound good and yes, definitely better than using dairy substitutes!

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Oct 17, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

As far as making them, I interviewed Chef Barbie Marshall from Hell's Kitchen a while back and she told me half and half, plus always use yukon gold. https://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mashed-potatoes

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Oct 17, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

I think it's a personal preference thing, and what else is on your plate. I like garlic mashed potatoes with steak. I would be horrified to find them on a traditional Thanksgiving table.

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Yeah I don't like garlic mashers on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is for PLAIN food.

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Oct 17, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

It depends on the entree and the type of cuisine they are being served with. If we're talking Thanksgiving, it's butter, sour cream and half-and half with salt and pepper. If it's Thanksgiving left-overs, I'm probably throwing cheddar in them and calling it dinner. I'm vegetarian but I make chicken cacciatore for family and friends and for the potatoes I just use heavy cream, olive oil, garlic and shallots. When I'm trying to be healthy but I want mashed potatoes, I cook the potatoes in veggie stock that I've seasoned to hell with salt, pepper, and maybe garlic powder and reserve the stock once the potatoes are tender and mash them with it and throw a tiny pat of butter in. In summary, mashed potatoes are a mood ring and I don't have a hill to die on.

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I LOVE this. "Mashed potatoes are a mood ring" would be such a good plate necklace.

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Oct 22, 2019Liked by Katherine Spiers

Is that not already at the top of everyone’s Christmas list?

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