Author: Colorado Potatoes

These days, one is liable to run across any number of unusual additives in a mashed potato recipe, depending on how “gourmet” you want to get. Goat’s cheese, cumin, toasted sesame seeds and a vast and various array of other vegetables and seasonings appear in mashed potato recipes from time to time.

The truth is, though, that mashed potatoes are really easy to make, and they taste just great when made the easiest way, with the fewest, most traditional ingredients. Sure, you can go ahead and add the tofu and leftover eggplant. It’ll taste like mashed potatoes with tofu and eggplant… not a bad thing, but perhaps not as welcome as a nice big mound of fluffy, steaming mashed potatoes with butter, salt and pepper in the middle.

We searched high and low for the best mashed potatoes recipe, and are pleased to present it to you here. If you still feel the need to embellish upon perfection, we suggest you put name cards on the table, with a single wildflower by each one.

PERFECT TRADITIONAL MASHED POTATOES

Thoroughly wash one potato per person, then peel and cut into bite sized pieces, while bringing a full, large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water until soft clear through, but not beyond that point.

Drain the potatoes, shaking until dry, then mash with a grid-type hand masher, adding melted butter and a bit of warm milk or cream, until fluffy, no more than two minutes. Taste, then correct the salt Serve immediately.