# Your favorite potato **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404 "2016-04-16T21:16:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/21 "2016-04-16T23:30:11Z")
I also love bangers and mash with brown gravy! :o ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/22 "2016-04-16T23:30:20Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > I have Latkes for Passover with apple sauce and yogurt or sour cream. I find if made them at home you have to drain the water out of the gated potatoes really good so the Latkes will cook crispy . I buy them premade now and they’re not bad. Essential to soak and then squeeze out the water. Then grate - not chop - the onion to mix in. Add egg for binder and put them in hot fat by the scoop-full. Mash down a bit and fry until done. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/23 "2016-04-16T23:35:10Z")
The only potato I don’t like is sweet. I love them pancaked, hash browned, mashed, french fried, chipped, souped with green onions and cheddar. I’ve even mixed some leftover mashed potatoes in with my hash browns before for an extra potato experience. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/24 "2016-04-16T23:38:29Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > The only potato I don’t like is sweet. I serve these on Thanksgiving, but not slathered with marshmallows. Just baked until soft and then mashed with butter and a little brown sugar and maple syrup. :o ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/25 "2016-04-16T23:44:14Z")
Raw. Peeled and sliced into thick chip-shaped pieces, with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper and a dash of salt. I’m not a big fan of potatoes in general, though I will eat them in various fried forms if presented with them. For the most part, I regard cooked potatoes as a substrate for flavorings to be added to, as their own flavor is uninteresting at best. The raw potato flavor is more appealing to me. Of cooked potatoes, I probably prefer latkes/pancakes. Crispy potatoes are better than mushy potatoes, in my opinion, and the thin, flat form factor makes it easy to mix in and top with other flavors. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/26 "2016-04-16T23:49:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Essential to soak and then squeeze out the water. Then grate - not chop - the onion to mix in. Add egg for binder and put them in hot fat by the scoop-full. Mash down a bit and fry until done. I know how to made them but some people don’t get the water of the grated potatoes and this really made a difference in in they come out ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/27 "2016-04-16T23:50:33Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > Potatoes have no place in a pancake, or in salad or anything cold. Wrong, but different strokes and all that. Latkes are wonderful, potato salad is wonderful, potato chips are wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/28 "2016-04-17T00:07:27Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > Potatoes have no place in a pancake, or in salad or anything cold. > Here are the top 10 potatoes, in order: > > • Hash Browns You do know that a potato pancake is nothing like a flapjack or what you would get at IHOP, but very similar to a hash brown patty. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/29 "2016-04-17T00:20:06Z")
[How about Hasselback potatoes?](https://www.google.com/search?q=hasselback+potatoes&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1VQGG_enUS684US684&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijkoXOsZTMAhWIZCYKHUa8COsQsAQINg) I’ve made them twice, each time with a sliver of butter and garlic in between the slices and Parmesan sprinkled on top. As you can imagine, lots of sliced through potatoes and hours of getting that shit exactly right. But even with all the annoying finickiness, I made this more than once. It must be worth the hassel (back). ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/30 "2016-04-17T00:24:59Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > You do know that a potato pancake is nothing like a flapjack or what you would get at IHOP, but very similar to a hash brown patty. Absolutely. Have had the ones my mom used to make, the ones other people and their moms have tried to feed me, some from cheap family restaurants and a few at high end places, and was never impressed. They are a bland misuse of an otherwise decent food. I will take a hash brown any day over potato pancakes. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/31 "2016-04-17T00:53:08Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > I will take a hash brown any day over potato pancakes. Here are the first two results I got with a quick Google search on the two… both from All Recipes. Recipe #1 2 medium russet potatoes, shredded 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg 1 cup oil for frying, or as needed salt and pepper to taste Recipe #2 2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes 1 tablespoon grated onion 3 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup peanut oil for frying Without telling you which one is which I’m confused why one is at the top of your list the other is the only one you don’t like. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/32 "2016-04-17T01:02:37Z")
This is how I usually prepare a potato: [![](http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/pixar/images/9/9e/Thinkway_PotatoHead.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100904042443) ](http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/pixar/images/9/9e/Thinkway_PotatoHead.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100904042443) ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/33 "2016-04-17T04:13:38Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Here are the first two results I got with a quick Google search on the two… both from All Recipes. > > Recipe #1 > > 2 medium russet potatoes, shredded > 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped > 1/4 cup all-purpose flour > > 1 egg > 1 cup oil for frying, or as needed > salt and pepper to taste > > Recipe #2 > > 2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes > 1 tablespoon grated onion > 3 eggs, beaten > > 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour > 1 1/2 teaspoons salt > 1/2 cup peanut oil for frying > > Without telling you which one is which I’m confused why one is at the top of your list the other is the only one you don’t like. I don’t want to hijack the thread or get into an argument but both of these sound like pancakes to me. I have eaten and cooked lots of hash browns with lots of people, and have never heard of adding eggs to them. Generally they are potatoes, maybe some onions or peppers, and that’s about it, in my experience. I think the eggs and the flour are where the pancake people go wrong. Potatoes should be simple. Other than the occasional au gratin, which is comfort food for me, I prefer them with just oil and seasoning if possible (and maybe some sharp cheddar). Applesauce? yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/34 "2016-04-17T04:17:54Z")
Coincidentally, I was watching a video earlier today on 18th century cooking methods and they showed a recipe for making [potato pie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1NOup3RvOw). And I thought “hmmm…” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/35 "2016-04-17T04:27:59Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > I don’t want to hijack the thread or get into an argument but both of these sound like pancakes to me. I have eaten and cooked lots of hash browns with lots of people, and have never heard of adding eggs to them. Generally they are potatoes, maybe some onions or peppers, and that’s about it, in my experience. I think the eggs and the flour are where the pancake people go wrong. Potatoes should be simple. Other than the occasional au gratin, which is comfort food for me, I prefer them with just oil and seasoning if possible (and maybe some sharp cheddar). Applesauce? yuck. Very little flour as a binder, no leavening, no milk. How is that a pancake? Latkes are very good, but it’s an ethnic food that’s not to everyone’s liking. I prefer mine with a bit of sour cream and salt/pepper. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/36 "2016-04-17T05:28:52Z")
I was gonna say Yukon Golds if I had to pick one, but I guess this is about potato dishes, not specific potato varieties. I like them all, but hash browns or rösti are probably my favorite way to enjoy them. ---
**Author:** ![Dodgecity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cab0a1/32.png) [@Dodgecity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dodgecity)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/37 "2016-04-17T05:44:19Z")
Along side braising beef smothered with stewed tomatoes so the potatoes soak up the beef and tomato flavors . ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/38 "2016-04-17T07:24:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I was gonna say Yukon Golds if I had to pick one, but I guess this is about potato dishes, not specific potato varieties. I like them all, but hash browns or rösti are probably my favorite way to enjoy them. That was my first instinct when I read the title, and my first choice of potato if I could only choose one. But… I like mashed potatoes if someone else peels, or really crunchy hash browns, preferably cooked by someone who has worked 3rd shift at a Waffle House for too many years. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/39 "2016-04-17T10:19:36Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > I know how to made them but some people don’t get the water of the grated potatoes and this really made a difference in in they come out Friend of mine told me she makes her latkes starting with frozen potato shreds. I tried it, and it worked pretty well. No squeezing the water needed. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/40 "2016-04-17T10:28:45Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Coincidentally, I was watching a video earlier today on 18th century cooking methods and they showed a recipe for making [potato pie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1NOup3RvOw). And I thought “hmmm…” Thank you for this! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=3)