mashing potatoes-- no processor

On Wed 12 Jan 2005 11:20:46p, Nancree tittered and giggled, and giggled
and tittered, and finally blurted out...

Quoted message said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion
will develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray,
sticky mass. You can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy
— russet or Idahos. For information on choosing and handling potatoes,
click here.

Yes, a food processor can certainly make a pot of glue from potatoes. When I
first starting using my Cuisinart I experimented with potatoes. If you
carefully pulse them, it actually works quite well.

Wayne

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning
motion will develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a
gray, sticky mass.

Yep.

You can use an electric beater if your potatoes

Quoted message said:

are mealy - russet or Idahos. For information on choosing and
handling potatoes, click here.

Sorry, nothing to click on in your post.

I prefer mealy potatoes for mashed and waxy for boiled and served with
butter & parsley or dill weed. Mealy also work best (IMHO) for making fries
which are crispy outside and nice and tender inside.

This reminds me of the time my former supervisor phoned me on a Sunday
afternoon to ask me how to make mashed potatoes. Was that part of my job
description? No, but I dutifully told her because, frankly, I felt sorry
for her husband. She was 38 years old and had no idea how to make mashed
potatoes.

Jill

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy — russet or Idahos. For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

George said:

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning
motion will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky
mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy — russet or
Idahos. For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

None what-so-ever. I make both versions, it depends on my mood at the
time. Sometimes I want smashed and sometimes I want mashed. I usually go
with mashed (smooth) when serving something with gravy. Smashed and
mashed done with the old time hand masher.

--
Steve

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.
Autograph your work with excellence.

In article said:

George said:

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy russet or Idahos. For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

None what-so-ever. I make both versions, it depends on my mood at the
time. Sometimes I want smashed and sometimes I want mashed. I usually go
with mashed (smooth) when serving something with gravy. Smashed and
mashed done with the old time hand masher.

I just use a fork and the pot they were boiled in. So I guess mine
are typically on the smashed side of mashed. (But I do make a well
and heat a bit of milk in it to mix in with the butter and parsley and
finely chopped raw onion. 🙂

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

"Nancree" wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion
will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky mass.
You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy - russet or Idahos.
For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I'm pretty sure potatoes contain no gluten. I did a Google search for
potatoes and gluten and got a bunch of hits for sites recommending potatoes
for gluten-free diets. I bet it's the starch that causes it to get sticky.

-Mike

One time on Usenet said:

I prefer mealy potatoes for mashed and waxy for boiled

<snip>

Mealy and waxy -- I've never heard the differences in potato texture
described so definitively. Very helpful...

--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

One time on Usenet said:

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion

will

Quoted message said:

develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky mass.

You

Quoted message said:

can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy — russet or Idahos.

For

Quoted message said:

information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

MIL went to a lot of trouble to make lumpless mashed potatoes one
holiday when her kids were young -- they were less than impressed
and actually accused her of using potato flakes (gasp!)...

--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

Gal Called J.J. said:

One time on Usenet said:

Nancree said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning
motion

will

Quoted message said:

develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray,
sticky mass.

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

MIL went to a lot of trouble to make lumpless mashed potatoes one
holiday when her kids were young -- they were less than impressed
and actually accused her of using potato flakes (gasp!)...

LOL My mother still tells the story of her sister saying, "Please pass me
the lumpy potatoes"! I like lumpy potatoes and also the skins 🙂

Jill

"George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

:
: I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin
to
: have lumpy mashed potatoes?
:

we like both lumpy and with the skin on, when we make them around
here!
rosie

"George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

:
: I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin
to
: have lumpy mashed potatoes?
:

we like both lumpy and with the skin on, when we make them around
here!
rosie

George said:

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

That was the one thing my son missed most away to college. Mom's lumpy mashed pots.
I was offended at first and then he said, "But yours were *real* potatoes!"
Edrena.

Peeled and quartered Yukon Golds with a coupla cloves (or more) of
peeled garlic. Boil. Drain. Beat with portable mixer until ALMOST
smooth. Add butter (real and lots of it), salt pepper and heavy cream
(or at least half and half). Beat again briefly. Stud with a coupla
chunks of butter. Serve hot.
Lynn from Fargo
NOTE: This is Comfort Food. Not for daily consumption, but I wouldn't
serve instant to my worst enemy

"Mike Pearce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:jtwFd.74316$Jk5.7398@lakeread01...

Quoted message said:

"Nancree" wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion
will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky
mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy - russet or Idahos.
For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I'm pretty sure potatoes contain no gluten. I did a Google search for
potatoes and gluten and got a bunch of hits for sites recommending
potatoes for gluten-free diets. I bet it's the starch that causes it to
get sticky.

-Mike

That's right. Potatoes contain starch in small granules. If they are over
processed, such as with an electric mixer, too many of the granules are
broken and release their starch and the result is akin to glue.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Mike Pearce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:jtwFd.74316$Jk5.7398@lakeread01...

Quoted message said:

"Nancree" wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion
will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky
mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy - russet or Idahos.
For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

I'm pretty sure potatoes contain no gluten. I did a Google search for
potatoes and gluten and got a bunch of hits for sites recommending
potatoes for gluten-free diets. I bet it's the starch that causes it to
get sticky.

-Mike

That's right. Potatoes contain starch in small granules. If they are over
processed, such as with an electric mixer, too many of the granules are
broken and release their starch and the result is akin to glue.

I've taken to mashing well with a ricer. Comes out great.

The Joneses said:

George said:

I really dislike whipped potatoes and wonder why it is such a sin to
have lumpy mashed potatoes?

That was the one thing my son missed most away to college. Mom's lumpy mashed pots.
I was offended at first and then he said, "But yours were *real* potatoes!"
Edrena.

Exactly, I put whipped potatoes in the "space food" or "better living
thru chemistry" category...

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Nancree) said:

(from Epicurious.com)

MASHED POTATOES
Don't try beating potatoes in a food processor: the fast spinning motion will
develop the gluten in the potatoes and turn them into a gray, sticky mass. You
can use an electric beater if your potatoes are mealy — russet or Idahos. For
information on choosing and handling potatoes, click here.

Epicurious had *that*??? Potatoes don't have any gluten in them. The
glue is from the starch.

--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>

In Phred said:

I just use a fork and the pot they were boiled in. So I guess mine
are typically on the smashed side of mashed. (But I do make a well
and heat a bit of milk in it to mix in with the butter and parsley and
finely chopped raw onion. 🙂

Depending on my mood, but sometimes I just leave the cut up potatoes the
way they are and you can smash them with your fork on your plate, or eat
them in pieces as they are...

I do have a ricer but think it's a waste of time. I hate how the gravy
gets into them and makes sort of a potato mush rather than mash...

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

In Hahabogus said:

Actually it is the starch released from the ruptured cell walls and
not the gluten that makes the mashed potato like snot. A good rule of
thumb...never use power tools on a cooked potato. A food mill isn't
machine powered and does an excellent job mashing spuds and you don't
have to peel them before starting. A potato ricer works nice too.

I'll have to remember that power tool line as I like it. Actually, most
power tools other than a processor aren't really needed (well, for me
anyway). Especially those electric knives!

Pass on the ricer though, just don't care for them.

Freezing in Saskatchewan

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply