Uh, actually that is in reference to Catherine the Great and her, uh, “riding accident”.
And towels can be hazardous, when swallowed in large quantities.
:rolleyes:
HEY! I read the original Straight Dope book!
We have boiled spuds all of the time and salt is a normal additive to the water. Do you mean heavily increasing the salt content in the water?
You know, potatoes absorb salt. It is an old cooking remedy that if you over salt a soup or stew, you add a whole, peeled potatoe and cook it, then remove the spud and you remove a lot of the excess salt.
We like spuds boiled to a soft, but firm hardness, then removed, sliced into chunks and pan fried with salt in butter or bacon grease. MMMMMMMM! Good! (Fattening too!) A variation is to cook said spuds in bacon grease and serve with crumbled, crisply cooked bacon on them.
That thick sliced bacon you find in slabs in stores is best for the grease and even better if it has been hickory smoked.
Yup. This is done in place of salting them at the table.
My wife and I discovered salted potatoes when we visited the Canary Island of Tenerife. Any meal you order there will include a bowl of salted potatoes. Wonderful!
The suspense is killing me. Somebody, please post a recipe!
It’s as simple as it sounds. Heavily salt some water and bring it to a boil. Add some small red, white or Yukon gold creamer potatoes and cook them through. Heating the small potatoes very slowly is best in order to avoid overcooking them. Some people peel them first but with small creamers it is not really necessary.
I get the sense that others also coat the potatoes with salt after cooking. They may let them set for a while and then may also brush or rinse the salt off later. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Thanks Z. Do you salt the water to saturation, or is a couple teaspoons enough? Or something inbetween?
I’d say a teaspoon per quart oughta do it. YMMV
You do take your screen name from the Mad takeoff, “Manduck The Magician”, no?
“And now I will say the magic words, ver-schlug-gin-ner!”
Yes I do 
But to tell the truth, it was just the first word that popped into my head the first time I had to think of a pseudonym.
Thanks again for the recipe btw - I think I have made it by accident in the past if a teaspoon per quart is all that’s required 
salt, yeuch!
I don’t use it, especially with potatoes (not that I haven’t tried it; I just think potatoes taste nicer without salt).
Is it just me or is this simply the normal way to boil potatoes?
(Back home in the UK I am, however, considered abnormal for not salting anything except chips/french-fries. I just don’t think it is necessary)
I am the (self-avowed) Queen of Salt Potatoes (and Spiedies). I have touted the joys of Salt Potatoes far and wide across the East Coast of this great land. I have kicked myself royally back to Florida when I left Upstate New York after a home visit and realized, mid-Pennsylvania, I had forgotten to pick up a couple bags of Hinerwadel’s Salt Potatoes (classic name among potato producers). And here’s a little conjecture on the possible origins of the Venerated Salt Potato (along with other UNY delicacies).
They are an absolute staple of UNY summer cuisine, along with steamed clams, corn-on-the-cob, and a keg of beer. Melt the butter on the same heat source you used to boil the potatoes (gives the potatoes a chance to cool). DO NOT RINSE THE POTATOES, dip them in the butter, and if you are a SPN (Salt Potato Newbie), nibble at them until you get past the ‘scorched tongue’ stage. Some folks are just too enthusiastic, and HSPAs (Hot Salt Potato Accidents) are not a pretty sight.
And remember folks, save some for the next morning. They’re great cold out of the fridge, too.
Okay, I made some. I used 4 tbsp of salt and 5 cups of water. They were good but NOT orgasmic.
Sorry, but I call 'em as I see 'em