Mashed potato
From ArticleWorld
Mashed potato is a common way of serving potato in many countries worldwide. It is made by mashing boiled potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) and mixing in milk, cream, butter or vegetable oil, and sometimes cheese.
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What makes a successful mashed potato?
The success of a dish with mashed potatoes is a matter of opinion. Some hold that potatoes mashed or smashed with a fork have the true texture of the genuine mashed potato. Yet others claim potato cells are damaged during violent processing such as in a food processor because the starch makes puréed mashed potato very sticky. Still, others state that passing the boiled potato through a ricer produces a desired refined texture.
Other ways of making them include using a hand implement that actually mashes them in the pot or using an electric mixer to mix them into whipped potatoes.
Different Dishes
Mashed potato is also an ingredient of various other dishes, including Shepherd’s pie, Colcannon and potato croquettes. In the US, mashed potatoes are often covered with gravy. In London, mashed potato is sold in pie and mash shops. It is often served with sausage, in this form being called bangers and mash.
Instant
One of the newer means of making mashed potatoes is be dehydrating the peeled potatoes and then flaking the dried remains. The flakes are then saved for later use. They can be added with boiling water, milk, salt, and butter to created a desired amount of mashed potatoes.
Back in the day
Many American colonials used to use potatoes as a means of keeping warm and quick meals in the winter times. With this vegetable as an easy means of food, many people found that mashing it up and adding various spices or herbs made for a variety of meals that would help eliminate the stagnancy of the same meal each night.