Potato Ricer

As much as I love to cook, it took me until this year to master mashed potatoes.  In the past, I've always convinced my mom to make the mashed potatoes and I'd just make the rest of the meal.  My mom's mashed potatoes are still great, but I've discovered a method for making my own perfect potatoes.

(Image from Williams-Sonoma)

A potato ricer!  Who knew?  (Okay, maybe I knew, but I didn't realize it made that much of a difference.)  I've discovered the secret:  Yukon gold potatoes and a potato ricer.  I picked up a lovely, imported stainless steel potato ricer at an outlet store for around $10 back in November.  I used it once, then my (very helpful) husband (who always washes the dishes when I make a mess) misplaced the pin that holds it together, so it was months before I could use it again.  Well, I had a long, cold, rainy day today and we needed a real dinner, so I whipped up some chicken breasts with a white wine and sage sauce (inspired by a dish I had at Iron Hill) and some Yukon gold mashed potatoes.  

I used the potato ricer and the potatoes were fluffy, light, and creamy.  I highly recommend using a potato ricer over a conventional masher or an electric mixer.  Oh, and go for the Yukon gold potatoes.  Yes, they cost a bit more than plain white potatoes, but the taste is amazing.  I love their slightly golden color and their smooth texture.  When you consider that you can feed at least 10 people with a 5 pound bag of potatoes, it doesn't seem unreasonable to spend a few extra cents.  

Get yourself a potato ricer.  Yes, it's a one-task item, but you can likely find one for a great price and it makes everyone's favorite all-American side dish.  You can't lose with that, right?