I'm a huge fan of American cooking programmes, particularly Ina Garten, but I notice that when she makes mashed potatoes they come out with a texture akin to porridge, what I would call a very wet mixture, so wet that I doubt it would hold together on a fork, rather slide through the tines.

So my question is, do you like your mashed potatoes with a bit more texture, as I do?

Most definitely. I can't stand pomme puree.

The best chefs in the world may wet themselves over totally smooth mash which looks like a wallpaper paste but they can stick it as far as i'm concerned.


Grew up with mam's lumpy mash and that's how I like it. Infact she came up with the concept of crushed potatoes decades before ponsy chefs were doing it.

SMASH. Cant beat it, I enjoy putting slightly less water in than recommended so it retains a bit of powdery crunch

Oh I'm so glad I'm not alone. I like mashed potato to taste of potato, not cream and butter.

Just because it's smooth doesn't mean it's wet though. I use a ricer so my mash is smooth but it still holds together the same as lumpy mash. I like mash smooth and buttery, I don't like wet, sloppy mash.

Same here, that reminds me I must get another ricer, mine fell apart a few weeks back.

I can't be doing with mash with the consistency of baby food. I don't even peel my tatties so my mash has lumps and skin! Right - I'm off to chop down some trees and do other manly things!!

Lumpy mash is the best.

Yesterday I made cottage pie and your method is exactly how I make the potato topping. Then I smooth it flat and add the cheese topping.
In the oven for however long then a quick grill get the cheese crispy.
There's mashed potato, creamed potato and puréed potato.
All serve a purpose.

Sainsbury's own unbleached, ultra-cheap economy brand is much better. I keep it in an empty Smash tub

You are not wrong, i got some smash months ago as it would be quick, awful stuff, as you sainsburys own is far better

I remember when smash was granules instead of powder, it was better than, or was it because i was still young then?

I like my mash smoother than a tiger in a tuxedo. Also, white pepper only, with loads of butter, and I mean loads. A lick of cream sometimes and if making a pie topping I sometimes use an egg yolk to help it crisp.

Yey.. Excuse to post this action movie I found.

The tension, the drama, the excitement..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEbSPPz3ErY

This is how it all begins!

Sounds nice.

I oven bake potatoes in their skins, put the flesh through a ricer, add warm milk, soft butter, Maldon sea salt, white pepper and a grate of nutmeg. Then I whip it together with a wooden spoon.

It's smooth but firm, rich, buttery and gorgeous.

Susan Calman had a strange rant about mashed potato been served at US KFC's in this weeks News Quiz but I didn't really get what she was trying to say.

Potato porn!

It... was suprisingly high production values for a bit of agricultural machinery. But then it's also a very expensive beast. Hence why even though I can generally manage to grow spuds, I won't be buying one. Plus I'd need to get a bigger garden. And shed.

And found it cos I've been playing this food production simulator-

http://www.farming-simulator.com/

which is strangely addictive. Bit like spuds really

Have you tried this free sim app -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...m2015&hl=en_GB

Hmm.. branding on that looks a lot like the one I've got. But I tend to stick to playing on PC/Laptop and don't have a 'smart' phone.. Those things I find too large and fugly.

I like both, making it smooth is a bit more work, so it's usually just lumpy, though.

Brilliant

I always make mine the Mrs Beeton way: mash the potatoes with butter, salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. AFTER they are mashed add the milk and cream up with a fork. Lovely.

With a bit of grated cheese.

the concept of crushed potatoes is as old as potatoes themselves....poncey chefs just like regurgitating trends every 5 years or so.

She didn't mention cheese.