# 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:** 3
**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, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/41 "2016-04-17T10:31:52Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > The only potato I don’t like is sweet… Agreed. Sweet potatoes are not potatoes, they are a different tuber altogether. The pale white ones are okay, baked, with butter. But the very sweet orange ones taste too sweet to me. I never understood how people could add sweetener to them (marshmallows, syrup, brown sugar). Just too sweet. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/42 "2016-04-17T13:34:43Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Baked potatoes are peasant food. Knock the dirt off and throw them in the oven. Just don’t see the attraction. > > Every other kind are good. Au contraire. My Wife and I will bake a few potatoes, and cover them with sautéed onion, broccoli, jalapenos and whatever else looks good. Add cheese, butter and sour cream and it’s quite the meal. I love me some scalloped potatoes. A simple 3-6-9 recipe I found. 3 pounds of potatoes 6 Tbsp (Table spoons) butter 9 Tbsp flour One quart milk Layer, 1/3 sliced potatoes, 1/3 butter, 1/3 flour in 9x13 baking dish. Repeat. Cover with 1 quart milk. Bake high uncovered until it bubbles. Reduce heat to 350 or so. Continue baking uncovered until you get a nice brown on top. About 40 minutes. Add cheese at will with this recipe. ---
**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, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/43 "2016-04-17T19:27:40Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Agreed. Sweet potatoes are not potatoes, they are a different tuber altogether. I have to confess… I did not intend to put them on my list, but I have this person in my house called a wife. I frequently make five baked potatoes and one baked sweet potato. While composing the list I heard the dreaded “what are you doing?” I may be old, but I’m not dead yet so in the interest of maybe having some intimate time in the future I said “sure… I’ll add that.” ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/44 "2016-04-17T21:34:07Z")
I don’t like potatoes, unless they are fried beyond recognition. Arby’s potato cakes are the best, followed by tater tots and fries. I’d eat mashed potatoes before I’d starve, but that’s about it. ---
**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, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/45 "2016-04-17T22:18:42Z")
> [@breezman](#): > > I don’t like potatoes. :eek: ---
**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, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/46 "2016-04-17T23:53:25Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > While composing the list I heard the dreaded “what are you doing?” I may be old, but I’m not dead yet so in the interest of maybe having some intimate time in the future I said “sure… I’ll add that.” [https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&biw=1366&bih=623&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=whipped+potato&oq=whipped+potato&gs\_l=img.12..0l3j0i30j0i5i30l5j0i8i30.5973.6349.0.7965.2.2.0.0.0.0.122.214.1j1.2.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.2.213.isgXAg6nD1I](https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&biw=1366&bih=623&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=whipped+potato&oq=whipped+potato&gs_l=img.12..0l3j0i30j0i5i30l5j0i8i30.5973.6349.0.7965.2.2.0.0.0.0.122.214.1j1.2.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.2.213.isgXAg6nD1I) ---
**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, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/47 "2016-04-17T23:57:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I was gonna say Yukon Golds if I had to pick one, I thought about going this route, but it varies so much on which dish I’m preparing. Russets for baking… Yukon Gold for Mashed… Fingerlings for roasted. You really have to think what you are making and decide if you want one that is more fluffy or waxy. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/48 "2016-04-18T00:08:00Z")
Vodka. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/49 "2016-04-18T00:10:25Z")
Use big Idahos to make potato pancakes. Big so you don’t have to do that much peeling. Grate the potatoes, preferably by hand because your food processor won’t get it right, then let them sit for a while for the liquid to come out. After a while pour off the liquid and squeeze out as much more as you can. Grate in an onion. For 6 big potatos, nearly 6 pounds I’ll add 2 eggs and 2 heaping tablespoons of flour, salt and coarse ground pepper. In about 1/4" of oil fry the pancakes, rotating them as they go, until one side is crisp at the edges, flip and do the other side. Good latkes are soft in the middle and crispy around the edges. ---
**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 18, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/50 "2016-04-18T00:15:53Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Vodka. Damn it… I actually thought of this but somehow forgot to add to the list. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/51 "2016-04-18T00:21:09Z")
Potatoes aren’t used for vodka all that much. Few brands use any at all. But in honor of it’s association with the potato it does deserve mention. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/52 "2016-04-18T00:22:34Z")
Here is one version of Janssonin Kiusaus, from the very old Time-Life cookbook series. 7 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick 2 1/2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 to 3 large yellow onions thinly sliced (4 cups) 16 flat anchovy fillets, drained white pepper 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup milk Saute the onions in butter first, then layer the potatoes and onions, adding anchovy to taste, pour in the cream, top with bread crumbs and butter bits. I generally bake covered with foil for the first 30 minutes, then take the foil off for browning. In a standard oven casserole temp, 350-375, it generally takes 45-60 min, depending on variety of potato you use and how thinly you’ve sliced them. Nowadays, I just dab a little bit of anchovy paste here and there, instead of bothering with the fillets. It just melts into the cream and onions and potatoes, adding some salt and umami goodness without being too anchovy-ish. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/53 "2016-04-18T00:25:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Potatoes aren’t used for vodka all that much. Few brands use any at all. But in honor of it’s association with the potato it does deserve mention. I did once buy a potato vodka distilled in Maine, from Maine potatoes. You could actually perceive a bit of potato flavor, if you tasted it straight. [http://www.coldrivervodka.com/vodka/](http://www.coldrivervodka.com/vodka/) ---
**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 18, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/54 "2016-04-18T00:48:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Potatoes aren’t used for vodka all that much. Few brands use any at all. I’m pretty sure Chopin which is pretty well known and respected is potato based. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/55 "2016-04-18T01:10:17Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > Wait, Orwell cooked his cakes on a _girdle_? Never tried that. :eek: You never met a girl hot enough! [rimshot] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/56 "2016-04-18T01:23:58Z")
No love for Mr (or Mrs) Potato-Head? ---
**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 18, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/57 "2016-04-18T01:32:53Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > I just dab a little bit of anchovy paste here and there, instead of bothering with the fillets. It just melts into the cream and onions and potatoes, adding some salt and umami goodness without being too anchovy-ish. FWIW, the “anchovies” I’ve had in the Baltic are quite different from the ones I use in Mediterranean cuisine. They’re more like simple sardines, and not at all salty. ---
**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 18, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/58 "2016-04-18T01:58:23Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > No love for Mr (or Mrs) Potato-Head? Please see post 43. Shoot… I hope I didn’t just disclose my real last name. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/59 "2016-04-18T02:45:16Z")
Fun fact: You can live on potatoes, buttermilk, and nothing else. That will supply all your needed calories and nutrients. Perhaps a third of the population of Ireland did so before the Famine. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/60 "2016-04-18T02:46:20Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > FWIW, the “anchovies” I’ve had in the Baltic are quite different from the ones I use in Mediterranean cuisine. They’re more like simple sardines, and not at all salty. Can you get those in an American supermarket? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=4)