Questions...

[sarahmichigan]

1. For those of you who make mashed potatoes- what's your process? I don't mean a recipe, but I mean things like: Do you peel first, then boil, or vice versa? Do you use a hand masher or a food processor? Etc.

2.  For those of you who are interested in frugality, simplicity and/or environmental living, tell me one or two things you know are in line with those values but which you just can't bring yourself to do. For instance, some people who are super frugal just can't give up going out to lunch during the work day because they need to get away from the office. Or maybe you're really environmentally conscious but you just can't live with your thermostat turned any lower than 70 degrees. Mine? I hate throwing away lots of paper facial tissues, but I just cannot bring myself to use a handkerchief. With my allergies, I'd be going through three or four a day, and having snotty rags in my pockets would just totally gross me out. (To compensate, I AM thinking of starting to bring a cloth napkin with me to work in place of the two or three paper towels I typically go through each day at lunch.)

3. Dammit, I had a third question, but it has escaped me...

Comments

[jojomojo.livejournal.com]

1) Peel first then boil (unless I'm leaving the skins on), and a hand masher. I used to use a fork, but a masher is definitely easier.

2) Leftovers...I generally can't bear to eat something that's been in the fridge more than one day. I'm not sure why, it's always been that way.

[aiela.livejournal.com]

If I am making them just for me, I'll use red potatoes and leave the skins on during boiling and mashing. Brittany doesn't like skins in her mashed potatoes so I usually use either white potatoes or yukon gold, and peel first.

I've been using a hand masher but lately they've had too many lumps, so I may go back to using my stick blender.

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

If they're the really thin-skinned kind of potatoes I leave the skins on, then boil and prepare them. If they're thicker skinned, I peel then boil. If I want little chunks of potato in the mash (I like them that way) then I'll use a hand masher. If I'm going for something really creamy, I'll use a hand blender to really smooth them out. I typically find the creamier mash works better as a topping for Shepherd's Pie.

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I really appreciate simplicity but I also have a rabid gadget obsession -- particularly kitchen gadgets. I have an internal struggle every time I want to buy something that I think would make cooking easier, but would add clutter to my home. Our kitchen has already taken over part of the dining room area (or what would be the dining room, but where Jo's computer stuff currently lives).

[melstav]

If I'm going to peel, I peel before boiling.

and hand masher.

Although, part of me wants to try the "waxed paper and a rolling-pin" method.

waxed paper/rolling pin

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Is that a real method or just something you've contemplated trying?

Re: waxed paper/rolling pin

[melstav]

How about I answer by saying I don't know of anyone who does it that way and leave it at that? :D

[meecie.livejournal.com]

WTH is the "waxed paper and rolling-pin" method?

[melstav]

Stick the potato between two sheets of waxed paper, and hit it with a rolling pin until it's the desired consistency. :D

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

2. I try to lower the heat when I leave the house and raise it when I get back, but I forget a lot. I also want to re-use plastic bottles (Gatorade, etc) as water bottles, but I'm very bad at that. I've done it, but not nearly as much as I want to.

[aedifica]

I've been told that's actually a bad idea, as the type of plastic used for those bottles tends to harbor bacteria after it's been used. I recommend a bottle made for reuse, instead.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've heard that, too, but I've also heard it's hype by the bottled water companies. Of course they don't want you to just fill those bottles with tap water. As long as you wash them regularly, no harm, no foul. I do throw them out if they begin to get a mineral build-up or start smelling bad, though.

[airsucker.livejournal.com]

There are studies that say those bottles from bottles water aren't good to reuse because after a while, the plastic starts breaking down. A reusable water bottle can be had for pretty cheap and if most people are like us, we already have a bunch from various promotions that were free anyway.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp

I kind of concede the point, but not really?

[airsucker.livejournal.com]

I was going to copy and quote part of their rebuttal, here, but their site won't let me copy and paste (as useful as it is, I hate their pop-uppy site).

They did not deny that there is a chemical that gets leached out of plastic and is under EPA safe levels. I don't entirely trust those safe levels and the EPA isn't what it was before our current president.

So not all of what I've read may be true, but I had heard of the bisomething-A chemical, which might be true.

Re: I kind of concede the point, but not really?

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not sure how that makes regular reusable plastic water bottles any safer. Depending on what type of plastic (#7, I think?) there's more chance of chemicals leaching out from reusable water bottles than single-used bottled water bottles.

Re: I kind of concede the point, but not really?

[mogwar.livejournal.com]

We have some nice reusable metal water bottles I picked up at Whole Foods. They were kinda expensive, but very sturdy and easier to clean than plastic. They come from Switzerland.

[rikhei.livejournal.com]

(1) I don't make mashed potatoes very often, but I think I can remember the process. First, I wash them. Then, I peel them (and usually do a little rinsing while I peel). After I finish peeling a potato, I will cut it up into chunks - usually anywhere from 4-8 chunks, depending on the size of the potato. Then I boil the potatoes, and then I strain them. Then I use a handheld mixer to mash them, and that's when I add the other ingredients (milk and butter, I think).

(2) I am not sure there's stuff I can't bring myself to do - in trying to answer this question, I thought of stuff I don't do, but that's more laziness than an unwillingness to do them. I'll let you know if I think of anything.

[aedifica]

2) Recycling papers at home. Our local service doesn't recycle paper (just cans and bottles), and I *could* bring used paper to work to recycle at work, but I don't.

[airsucker.livejournal.com]

1. The usual method most people use is to peel, cut into chunks, boil and mash, sometimes usling a blender to get rid of lumps. Milk and butter are usually added in the mashing process. I have heard that you should not ever mash potatoes in a food processer. The result of that is glue.

I like to leave skins on and I like lumps. I do really love the thing I learned from the Splendid Table triage show a couple years ago, which is suitable for vegans, but is something everyone can love. Warm a lot of olive oil in a pan, cook many cloves of garlic and cut up onion until soft over low temperature for a while. You want lots of olive oil, to replace butter and milk. Boil your potatoes, peel or not, according to your preferences, then when you drain and mash your potatoes, mash them with the olive oil, garlic and onions, maybe a dash of oregano and crushed red pepper.

BTW, the Splendid Table Thanksgiving Triage show is Thursday from 11AM to 1PM on NPR. We always listen to it while driving the rounds of our usual Thanksgiving vehicluar marathon.

2. Ditto on the sinus and kleenix stuff. The idea of hankerchefs just grosses me out.

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

I've also heard that the glue thing is why you want to warm up the milk and butter before adding them to the cooked potatoes -- cold ingredients affect the starch and create really thick and sticky potato glue.

I've done it both ways, but I've been heating up my cream and butter for so long now I don't remember how they used to turn out. ;)

[airsucker.livejournal.com]

I hadn't made a lot of mashed potatoes before I got hooked on the garlic, onion and olive oil way.

I do remember hearing a chef on NPR talk about how she was in charge of Thanksgiving dinner for her family one year while she was in chef school and no matter how much she ran the food processor, the potatoes just kept getting worse and worse.

[sylo-tode.livejournal.com]

1. Peel, boil, mash (with little milk and a touch of butter) with a masher beyond an inch of its life. My mashed potatoes are very smooth!

2. Walk more, mainly to CVS, which is definitely within walking distance.

3. That's too bad, I had an answer on the tip of my tongue!

[theal8r.livejournal.com]

1.
Peel
boil
hand mash
electric mash

2. enviro TP and leaving pee in the toilet.

3. 6:20 am -- I shower the night before. I leave the house between 7:10 and 7:20 (and am at school by 7:30).

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

We do the leaving pee in the toilet thing, but only for a couple of flushes. After a while, especially in hot weather, it stinks.

[meecie.livejournal.com]

1) I wish I made mashed potatoes more often. Yum. When I do, it's peel and boil, hand mash. I've had them made with a potato-ricer too (sort of like a gigantic garlic press) and they were fantastic that way.

2) Composting kitchen scraps. I have done it in previous years, but I never got a really good system, and more junk goes in the trash or down the garbage disposal than I care to admit.

[shadbolt75.livejournal.com]

I do use a handkerchief, but I have quite a few so I can change them whenever I feel one is getting a little gross. My wife hasn't been able to go the handkerchief route yet, but we buy tissue made from recycled paper and then we compost all the tissues she uses for use in the garden.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I hadn't thought about putting tissue in our compost heap...

[laughlovelive.livejournal.com]

1. If I'm making the mashed taters for me I usually use red potatoes and I don't peel them. Occasionally I'll use yukon gold and not peel them either. My mother is horrified I do it that way, so if I'm home I peel them. Cut into large chunks, boil, mash with hand masher...if I'm at home I put a bit of milk and butter in, if they are just for me I add the butter when I put it on my plate, along with salt and pepper.

2. I actually feel rather guilty that I don't walk or ride my bike to work. It's only a mile and a half but I have to go down a hill, cross a bridge and cross highway on/off ramps and up a big hill before cutting across campus. I did it for a year or more. I basically figure I didn't drive for 12 years after I could have, so I have 12 years of a REALLY light carbon footprint and I shouldn't feel so guilty. I'm also with you on the tissues thing. The cloth napkin is a good idea. I use a cloth as a napkin at home but I don't bring one to work. I also can't bring myself to give up beef, but I have managed to cut way back on it and it's now a "treat" more than an everyday thing.

[lilpeace.livejournal.com]

1. I wash 'em, chop 'em, boil 'em, and mash 'em. Oh, and add a bunch of raw milk or cream, garlic and butter! I never peel them, the skins are packed with good things and I like the taste. I usually just mash with a fork.

2. I have a hard time turning my thermostat down. It's set at 72. I used to justify it by saying that I didn't want the baby to get cold, but she throws her blankets off regardless. It's me who is freezing when it's 68 degrees. I hate being cold. The other thing, is that I like the idea of using cloth wipes instead of toilet paper, since that was the one paper product I couldn't get rid of, but I put it off and I think people would think we were gross. I also buy disposable wipes for my daughter because it's SO MUCH EASIER to deal with poop that way. I have lots of cloth wipes and really there's no excuse. ARGH!