# 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:** 4
**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, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/61 "2016-04-18T03:31:59Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Can you get those in an American supermarket? Maybe, if it has a European section. If you can find a tin labeled “anchovies” and it comes from Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania, odds are they’re what I described. They’ll probably be pickled instead of salted. I was making a Caesar salad once and opened a tin like this. Not what I was hoping for, but I ended up using them anyway. IIRC, the tin was painted blue and white. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/62 "2016-04-18T06:07:37Z")
I don’t eat a lot of potatoes. Mashed is my favorite with a dish with lots of sauce. Potato salad in summer. Chips/fries/hashbrowns I can take or leave and I’ll do roast ones with a roast just because that’s what you do. If I didn’t eat potato in any form for a week or more it wouldn’t worry me at all. ---
**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, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/63 "2016-04-18T11:46:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Maybe, if it has a European section. If you can find a tin labeled “anchovies” and it comes from Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania, odds are they’re what I described. They’ll probably be pickled instead of salted. > > I was making a Caesar salad once and opened a tin like this. Not what I was hoping for, but I ended up using them anyway. IIRC, the tin was painted blue and white. Also if you live in a city with Scandinavian shops. I admit I don’t care for them. ---
**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, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/64 "2016-04-18T12:44:16Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Also if you live in a city with Scandinavian shops. I admit I don’t care for them. I got mine in a supermarket in Riga. I don’t remember where they were from, but they weren’t labeled in either Russian or any of the Mediterranean languages. The word for “anchovies” was, however, perfectly understandable. I like sardines, sprats, whatever, salted or smoked and packed in oil. Don’t care much for pickled fish myself. ---
**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, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/65 "2016-04-18T12:49:57Z")
I bring the subject up because Janssonin Kiusaus is, as I understand, a traditional Swedish dish. It’s not likely that it would be made with salted (“Mediterranean-style”) anchovies (I think). ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/66 "2016-04-18T14:01:16Z")
[Colombian-style Salt-crusted new potatoes](http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/11/colombian-style-salt-crusted-new-potatoes-recipe.html). Dead simple to make, tasty, with a wonderfully creamy-but-not-mushy texture. I like to use a bag of the mixed red, gold, and purple potatoes for visual contrast. I also have to make twice as many as I intend to serve with dinner, because they keep beautifully in the refrigerator, and I’ll just eat them cold as a snack. You can also finish them in a hot pan with some herbs and butter for a slightly more…sophisticated?..take. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/67 "2016-04-18T15:04:43Z")
This might count as roasted. My mom would cut potatoes in half lengthwise, salt and pepper, then melt a ton of butter in a glass cake pan, and put the potatoes in face down. Into the oven until they were done. You don’t move them once they go in. Incredible deep, crusty, buttery browned potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/68 "2016-04-18T15:16:21Z")
Of all the potato dishes you mentioned in the OP, there is only one that I don’t like - potato soup. I’m willing to concede that perhaps I’ve never had really good potato soup, but it isn’t something I’d ever seek out. I am picky about my mashed potatoes, though. I don’t like them whipped into the consistency of wallpaper paste. They need to be just a tiny bit lumpy (well mashed with a hand masher), have a dollop of cream, and a lot of butter. If they are not good enough to be a stand-alone without gravy, they aren’t done right. Not that I’m knocking gravy! I have recently fallen a bit in love with sweet potato fries. Wow, those little sticks of delectability are tasty! ---
**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, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/69 "2016-04-18T15:28:11Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I bring the subject up because Janssonin Kiusaus is, as I understand, a traditional Swedish dish. I googled it and the first result came from a Finnish-themed website. Of course, the two countries are next-door neighbors, so either might have picked it up from the other. ---
**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, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/70 "2016-04-18T15:29:42Z")
[Wikipedia list of potato dishes.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_potato_dishes) ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/71 "2016-04-18T19:12:40Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Other than me of course 🙂 > > Inspired by the favorite french fry thread. > > I’m not going to make this a poll because I don’t want anyone to feel limited, and I don’t want my unpopular tuber friends to feel bad. > > Here are just a few off the top of my head: > > • Mashed > • Baked > • French Fries > • Scalloped > • Au Gratin > • **Salad – American** > • Salad – German > • Soup > • Pancakes > • Hash Browns > • Chips > • Cottage Fries > • Twice Baked > • Steak Fries > • Roasted > • Lyonnaise > • Waffle > • Boiled > • Grilled > • Sweet > • Tater Tots > > Feel free to suggest something else. In fact one of my favorites doesn’t really have a proper name… just something I threw together. I take some baby potatoes, quarter them and toss them in Italian dressing and grated Parmesan and then put them in a convection oven for about 40 minutes until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. > > As you can guess from my user name though my answer to this would be “all of the above.” \ American potato salad has two varieties (that I am aware of): mustard potato salad and dill potato salad. ---
**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, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/72 "2016-04-18T19:20:00Z")
> [@OffByOne](#): > > \ > > American potato salad has two varieties (that I am aware of): mustard potato salad and dill potato salad. I always thought of it as something with mayonnaise. ---
**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, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/73 "2016-04-18T19:36:17Z")
> [@OffByOne](#): > > \ > > American potato salad has two varieties (that I am aware of): mustard potato salad and dill potato salad. Mustard or Mayo based are the two main types I’m aware of. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/74 "2016-04-18T20:05:36Z")
Baked potatoes with a boatload of butter and salt and pepper are my favorite, but I’ll eat potatoes any way I can get 'em. I don’t know any other food that can be morphed into so many kinds of goodness: crunchy, fluffy, creamy, mealy, crispy starchy awesome. Except potato pancakes. One time my sister, who had many good qualities but kitchen skills were NOT among them, made potato pancakes by putting plops of batter into cold oil and then heating them until they eventually turned brown. They were basically oil-soaked sponges. My stomach said “nope” and ejected them with extreme prejudice. That was 30 years ago and I can’t even look at them without gagging a little. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/75 "2016-04-18T20:29:02Z")
When I think of potato pancakes, I think of something different than most people are talking about. For me, it’s what you do with leftover mashed potatoes. You can add onion (especially green) and/or cheese, and then you put a scoop on a griddle, smash, and fry until brown on both sides. Maybe this has another name? (Or it’s just fried mashed potatoes?) ---
**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 18, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/76 "2016-04-18T20:58:35Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Mustard or Mayo based are the two main types I’m aware of. Same here. Vast majority I see is simply mayo. What’s this dill salad spoken of? ---
**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, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/77 "2016-04-18T21:08:11Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > made potato pancakes by putting plops of batter into cold oil and then heating them until they eventually turned brown. They were basically oil-soaked sponges. My stomach said “nope” and ejected them with extreme prejudice. > . I probably would have done the same… but Potato Pancakes do not involve batter. They are basically shredded potatoes, and onions, with an egg and a bit of flour as binder. Then fried and usually served with Apple Sauce. [http://www.saveur.com/sites/saveur.com/files/import/2012/images/2012-11/7-SAV152-recipe-GermanPotatoPancake-750x750.jpg](http://www.saveur.com/sites/saveur.com/files/import/2012/images/2012-11/7-SAV152-recipe-GermanPotatoPancake-750x750.jpg) ---
**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, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/78 "2016-04-18T21:38:30Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > This might count as roasted. My mom would cut potatoes in half lengthwise, salt and pepper, then melt a ton of butter in a glass cake pan, and put the potatoes in face down. Into the oven until they were done. You don’t move them once they go in. > > Incredible deep, crusty, buttery browned potatoes. At what temperature for how long? ---
**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, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/79 "2016-04-18T21:59:54Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > When I think of potato pancakes, I think of something different than most people are talking about. For me, it’s what you do with leftover mashed potatoes. You can add onion (especially green) and/or cheese, and then you put a scoop on a griddle, smash, and fry until brown on both sides. Maybe this has another name? (Or it’s just fried mashed potatoes?) Maybe it’s a variation of [English potato cakes](http://theorwellprize.co.uk/george-orwell/by-orwell/essays-and-other-works/british-cookery/): > [@](#): > > It is necessary here to say something about the specifically British ways of cooking potatoes. Roast meat is always served with potatoes “cooked under the joint”, which is probably the best of all ways of cooking them. The potatoes are peeled and placed in the pan all round the roasting meat, so that they absorb its juices and then become delightfully browned and crisp all over. Another method is to bake them whole in their jackets, after which they are cut open and a dab of butter is placed in the middle. **In the North of England delicious potato cakes are made of mashed potatoes and flour: these are rolled out into small round pancakes which are baked on a girdle and then spread with butter.** New potatoes are generally boiled in water containing a few leaves of mint and served with melted butter poured over them. – “British Cookery,” George Orwell (1946) ---
**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 18, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404/80 "2016-04-18T22:14:01Z")
There is never ever any leftover mashed potatoes at my house, so I make a big batch and hide some so that the next day I can add a can of salmon, green onions, egg and flour. Coat with breadcrumbs and fry. Delicious, yummy fish cakes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-potato/752404.md?page=5)