On Sun, 21 May 2017 19:26:03 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
wrote:

>On Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 4:04:36 PM UTC-10, Taxed and Spent wrote:
>> On 5/21/2017 5:09 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> > On Sun 21 May 2017 05:52:49a, Taxed and Spent told us...
>> >
>> >> On 5/20/2017 11:03 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> >>> I occasionally make split pea or bean soup with ham that also
>> >>> includes a it of onion, some carrots, celery, and some
>> >>> seasonings. When the soup is cooked I puree part of the
>> >>> peas/beans to help thicken it while leaving the remaining whole.
>> >>>
>> >>> Sometimes those soups just aren't as thick as I'd like them to be
>> >>> and I don't want to use anything like a roucx to thicken them.
>> >>>
>> >>> I've been considering stirring somne instant mashed potato flakes
>> >>> or granules as a more natural thickener. I would appreciate
>> >>> anyone's opinion on this as well as which type to use.
>> >>>
>> >>> TIA
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> why would that be "more natural" than something like a roux?
>> >>
>> >> why would that NOT be "something like a roux"?
>> >
>> > A roux is a combination of flour and fat. This is _not_ what I wanted
>> > in my soup. Potato, in any form, is a vegetable and would have given
>> > the type of thickening that I wanted. Adding any type of potato is
>> > nothing like a roux. Having said that, there are times when a roux is
>> > axactly what is needed to thicken a dish.
>> >
>>
>>
>> I am certainly not opposed to using potato to thicken, I was just
>> curious as to your particular reasoning. I am still not sure I
>> understand - thickening with a roux is not much different than
>> thickening with potato, and just as "natural".
>>
>> But, no need to explain further.
>
>I've thickened soups with mashed potato flakes. I thought I was the first one to think of it but evidently that's not the case. I also use corn chips to thicken chili. It's great!

You cook like a slob. Only a moron would thicken pea soup with other
than peas... there are only so many potatoes one can add before that
pea soup becomes potato soup.