a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
masher.

Any thoughts? Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
effort?

On Mon, 1 Feb 2010 11:07:27 -0800, "Wallace"
> wrote:

>a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
>masher.
>
>Any thoughts? Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
>which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
>effort?
>
If your potatoes are properly cooked, you don't need a lot of effort
and a standard masher is all you need. You won't even need a ricer to
start.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ato_masher.jpg



--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Feb 1, 11:07*am, "Wallace" > wrote:
> a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
> masher.
>
> Any thoughts? *Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
> which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
> effort?

Geez...I don't even know you and I think you should get a decent
potato masher!

"Wallace" > wrote in message
...
>a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
>masher.
>
> Any thoughts? Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom
> tines which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes
> with less effort?
>

By all means, hold out for that elusive triangle tined potato masher since
no other potato masher could possibly work as well.

"Chemo the Clown" > wrote in message
...
> On Feb 1, 11:07 am, "Wallace" > wrote:
>> a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
>> masher.
>>
>> Any thoughts? Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom
>> tines
>> which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with
>> less
>> effort?
>
> Geez...I don't even know you and I think you should get a decent
> potato masher!

lol


--
--
https://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On Feb 1, 2:07*pm, "Wallace" > wrote:

>
> Any thoughts? *Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
> which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
> effort?

Huh? Your spuds should be knife tender before you mash. Sounds like
you're not cooking them long enough.

Skip a masher and use a ricer. Nice texture throughout the finished
product.

On Feb 1, 1:07*pm, "Wallace" > wrote:
> a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
> masher.
>
> Any thoughts? *Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
> which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
> effort?

One that isn't flat on the bottom will certainly do a number on your
saucepans....forget that idea.

Mine is an old Cutco one that came with my knives back in the 50s. My
grandmother had one that had a zig-zag flat shape on the bottom.
Pretty much any one you buy will work.

N.

On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
> On Feb 1, 2:07*pm, "Wallace" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Any thoughts? *Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
> > which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
> > effort?
>
> Huh? *Your spuds should be knife tender before you mash. Sounds like
> you're not cooking them long enough.
>
> Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> product.

For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.

N.

On Mon, 1 Feb 2010 11:07:27 -0800, "Wallace"
> wrote:

>a dear, dear friend implied that I should look into getting a new potato
>masher.
>
>Any thoughts? Are they all flat on the bottom, or do any have bottom tines
>which have a pointed or angled shape to cut through the potatoes with less
>effort?
>


I use a stainless steel one, the " business" end is rounded bars
and it works fine. I've seen plastic ones but I wouldn't touch 'em
with a 10-foot pole having had one in the past- cheap but useless.
If the potatoes are properly cooked you won't need a lot of effort
to mash them.

On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
>
>
> > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> > product.
>
> For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.
>
> N.
>
>
Me neither. Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
fast.

On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:30:42 -0800 (PST), itsjoannotjoann
> wrote:

>On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
>> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
>>
>>
>> > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
>> > product.
>>
>> For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.
>>
>> N.
>>
>>
>Me neither. Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
>fast.

Mash them in the pot you boiled them in. Then you can turn up the
heat (and stir for a minute) if they cool too much before serving.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Feb 2, 9:36*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:30:42 -0800 (PST), itsjoannotjoann
>
> > wrote:
> >On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
> >> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
>
> >> > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> >> > product.
>
> >> For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.
>
> >> N.
>
> >Me neither. *Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
> >fast. *
>
> Mash them in the pot you boiled them in. *Then you can turn up the
> heat (and stir for a minute) if they cool too much before serving.
>
> --
> I love cooking with wine.
> Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Uh, we were talking about ricers, not mashers. I don't have a problem
with mashed. Ricing exposes them to cooler temperatures for too long
a period, and hot milk just doesn't do the job.

N.

On Wed, 3 Feb 2010 11:47:05 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:

> On Feb 2, 9:36*pm, sf > wrote:
> > On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:30:42 -0800 (PST), itsjoannotjoann
> >
> > > wrote:
> > >On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
> > >> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
> >
> > >> > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> > >> > product.
> >
> > >> For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.
> >
> > >> N.
> >
> > >Me neither. *Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
> > >fast. *
> >
> > Mash them in the pot you boiled them in. *Then you can turn up the
> > heat (and stir for a minute) if they cool too much before serving.
> >
> > --
> > I love cooking with wine.
> > Sometimes I even put it in the food.
>
> Uh, we were talking about ricers, not mashers. I don't have a problem
> with mashed. Ricing exposes them to cooler temperatures for too long
> a period, and hot milk just doesn't do the job.
>
Ricing vs mashing makes no difference to me. Cool is cool and they
cool off both ways.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:44:41 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

> That's true, but there are remedies. I always melt the butter and keep it
> warm, as well as warm whatever liquid (cream, milk, buttermilk, etc.)
> almost to boiling. If I'm not serving from the pot on the stove, I warm
> the serving bowl in the oven, or one could pour boiling water into while
> mashing/ricing the potatoes.

Agreed.
>
> I really like the texture of riced potatoes, but the typical ricer has a
> rather limited capacity. A food mill is *much* quicker and produces the
> same results.

here is where I draw the line. Properly cooked potatoes do *not* need
to be riced or milled just to get them perfectly smooth and fluffy.
Also, no one has bothered to say the potatoes they need to rice or
food mill is anything other than the perfect mashing potato, russet.
So until otherwise informed, I will assume we are all on the same
page.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:24:49 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

> One thing I don't think you factored in is whether you *like* to mash
> potatoes. I don't. :-) I'm perfectly capable of using a potato masher to
> make perfectly smooth and floffy potatoes, but I don't enjoy the process.

OK, you lost me there. Mashing is so much easier in terms of pure
effort.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:29:06 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

> On Wed 03 Feb 2010 09:07:41p, sf told us...
>
> > On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:24:49 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> One thing I don't think you factored in is whether you *like* to mash
> >> potatoes. I don't. :-) I'm perfectly capable of using a potato masher
> >> to make perfectly smooth and floffy potatoes, but I don't enjoy the
> >> process.
> >
> > OK, you lost me there. Mashing is so much easier in terms of pure
> > effort.
> >
>
> sf, I humbly disagree. I use a Foley mill with the next to smallest screen.
> If I have a huge amount to do, I have a sieve attachment for my KA. You can
> really pump 'em through without a thought.

And so much to clean up!

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:36:55 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

> Don't you put your potato masher in the dishwasher?

No need to.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Wed 03 Feb 2010 09:48:13p, sf told us...
>
>> On Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:36:55 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Don't you put your potato masher in the dishwasher?
>>
>> No need to.
>>
>>
>
> No need not to. Every cooking and eating implement I own goes in the
> dishwasher unless it simply won't fit. Have I ever told you how lazy
> I am?

One of my rules-if it won't go in the dishwasher then it has to do something
I really, really want that nothing else will.

On Feb 3, 5:37*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Wed, 3 Feb 2010 11:47:05 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > On Feb 2, 9:36*pm, sf > wrote:
> > > On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:30:42 -0800 (PST), itsjoannotjoann
>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
> > > >> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
>
> > > >> > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> > > >> > product.
>
> > > >> For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast..
>
> > > >> N.
>
> > > >Me neither. *Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
> > > >fast. *
>
> > > Mash them in the pot you boiled them in. *Then you can turn up the
> > > heat (and stir for a minute) if they cool too much before serving.
>
> > > --
> > > I love cooking with wine.
> > > Sometimes I even put it in the food.
>
> > Uh, we were talking about ricers, not mashers. *I don't have a problem
> > with mashed. *Ricing exposes them to cooler temperatures for too long
> > a period, and hot milk just doesn't do the job.
>
> Ricing vs mashing makes no difference to me. *Cool is cool and they
> cool off both ways.
>
> --
> I love cooking with wine.
> Sometimes I even put it in the food.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

If my stovetop is busy doing other things, after mine are mashed, I
pop them in the microwave - just to sit there, with the lid on, until
serving - it's a very small space, enclosed, and will hold the heat -
(you don't turn the microwave on).

I mash potatoes in the cooking pot - stir in hot milk and butter -
when finished mashing, I put the lid on and either leave them
somewhere on the stove top (I have a glass top) to stay warm from the
heat from the other burners, or the oven - or put the pan in the
microwave. It works for me...hot mashed potatoes every time.

N.

Nancy2 wrote:
\
> If my stovetop is busy doing other things, after mine are mashed, I
> pop them in the microwave - just to sit there, with the lid on, until
> serving - it's a very small space, enclosed, and will hold the heat -
> (you don't turn the microwave on).
>
> I mash potatoes in the cooking pot - stir in hot milk and butter -
> when finished mashing, I put the lid on and either leave them
> somewhere on the stove top (I have a glass top) to stay warm from the
> heat from the other burners, or the oven - or put the pan in the
> microwave. It works for me...hot mashed potatoes every time.
>
> N.

For large meals even though we always do the potato mashing at the last
minute, sometimes we still need to hold them for a few. I do as my
mother always did and place them in the serving dish and dot the top
with a few nice wads of butter and pour a smidgeon of cream or milk on
top then pop them into a warm oven to hold. Works like a charm!

On Feb 2, 10:30*pm, itsjoannotjoann > wrote:
> On Feb 2, 11:12*am, Nancy2 > wrote:> On Feb 2, 7:52*am, Kalmia > wrote:
>
> > > Skip a masher and use a ricer. *Nice texture throughout the finished
> > > product.
>
> > For me, I don't use a ricer because the potatoes cool off too fast.
>
> > N.
>
> Me neither. *Potatoes do have an annoying habit of cooling waaaay too
> fast. *

This is my method.

When they're done, I drain off the water,
put back on burner and give the pan a good shake to dry out the spuds,
remove em to a bowl with a slotted spoon,
then I work the ricer right over the original pan which is still
pretty warm
and on that warm burner.

I put the cover back on the pan and they stay nice and hot til serving
time.
I'm a fanatic about hot food, so I work fast to get en ready. I have
even been known to melt the butter and heated sour cream and have it
ready so as not to cool down the spuds. Finally, I eschew serving
dishes when it's just us. I ice cream scoop em right onto our plates,
then usually there's some kind of a sauce to pour on the spuds too.
HTH.