Instant Potatoes
May 24, 2005
1:06 p.m., MT

The point is, if you really care about someone you give them your best. That means actually washing the potatoes, peeling them, boiling them in water and then smashing them. If you really care you will add some butter, a splash of milk, and some salt and pepper.

[From Instant Potatoes, in the solid green birthday & other fables.]

Exactly!

Reading that "fable" reminded me that I've been neglecting the pood section lately. Maybe I'll be able to add something later this week [snake laughs hysterically] ...

Thanks, Charley!

Sunni

Replies: 10 people have spoken!

On Tuesday, May 24th, charley said:

you're very welcome, sunni -- you just reminded me of one of my all-time fave moments from that book!

===
I had a girlfriend once that tried to serve me instant potatoes. I don't remember her name.

"I can't eat these," I said.

"Why not?"

"Because they're fake. I don't like fake food, especially when it's potatoes."

"It's not fake. It's made from real potatoes," she explained.

"That's not the point. I like mashed potatoes made from real, actual, dirt-covered potatoes, from Idaho preferably. With little purple bruises you have to cut off. Anyway, mashed potatoes are one of the easiest things to make in the world. A monkey could make mashed potatoes."

"Well maybe you should get a monkey!" she screamed, revealing a surprising and unpleasant new side of her personality."
...
===
gets me every time.

On Tuesday, May 24th, ESC said:

I am not ashamed to admit that I have whipped up a batch or 10 of instant potatoes. If I use real butter and buttermilk in them, they are pretty darned tasty, and handy for a late night 'tater craving. (what? you don't get late night tater cravings?)

not for special occasions, of course.

On Tuesday, May 24th, charley said:

ESC, i'm with you. as sunni knows, i heat up olive oil, zest a garlic clove into it, sizzle a bit, add water, boil, cut off heat, add milk (sometimes half & half), butter, pepper, and often fresh basil or cilantro, then the flakey spuds. i love instant potatoes.

buttermilk? might have to give that a try.

On Tuesday, May 24th, Sunni said:

Hey, I grew up on instant potatoes and Minute Rice. My mom could make them taste good (well, the potatoes were okay, usually), but that skill was apparently not part of the cooking package she passed down to me. I tried all kinds of things to make the potatoes not taste like the cardboard box they came from (didn't think of buttermilk, though), but never succeeded. Once I learned how easy mashed potatoes are (and especially after I mastered the tricky art of making lefse from the leftovers), I've never missed that box. Also haven't tried garlic potatoes or other spices as you do, Charley.

Welcome, ESC! Not intending to put you on the spot from the get-go or anything, but I'm curious ... what's the story behind the panning of Thoreau?

On Tuesday, May 24th, Ginny said:

Instant potatoes aren't *that* bad. BUT, I guess I get the point.

On Tuesday, May 24th, Sunni said:

Ginny! Welcome! How's Mina? From what I was reading today, your experiences thus far are rather like mine with my children (had a boy first, then a girl -- wow, was she different to deal with! Quite the princess -- still is, in fact ...).

On Tuesday, May 24th, Cat said:

It seems sort of funny to see a post on instant mashed potatoes elicit quite so much response. I've tried them once or twice myself, but have yet to taste instant potatoes that taste anything like real ones.

Garlic tastes good in almost anything with the possible exception of ice cream, IMO... but my favorite (not so secret anymore) ingredient in real mashed potatoes is a tablespoon or two of basil pesto. It's a great way to conserve on butter, or that eternally detestable substance referred to as "margarine."

Come to think of it, I wonder how pesto-flavored ice cream might taste?

On Wednesday, May 25th, Sunni said:

I've a recipe for lime-basil sorbet ... is that close enough?

On Wednesday, May 25th, ESC said:

hehe...I did pan Thoreau, didn't I? I just was never impressed with the book all that much. Then we went to Boston on the class trip and learned that he made weekly trips into down to get all the comforts of home, and that he was kind of a whiney guy. So really he was just some spoiled guy who lived in a well stocked cabin, didn't work, and wrote a book about it. Feh. I could do that!

On Wednesday, May 25th, Sunni said:

ESC, I take it you mean Walden ... I found that interesting, but like other things by him much more. Thanks for the clarification.

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