The Expert Takes the Tots for a Spin Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life

The other day I wondered about the relative merits of a potato ricer vs. a masher:

I asked Mr. Big Food which sized ricer grate he recommended and he said, “I’d mash them,” which I suppose you could. I do not know what the relative advantages of a ricer over a masher are. Perhaps someone— cough, cough, Kat!– could enlighten me.

This is what Kat replied (with minor edit to add paragraphs & emphasis):

Re: relative advantages of a ricer over a masher – There are two that I know of and they both have to do with the consistency/texture of the potatoes. First, the ricer breaks down the potatoes quickly and evenly, so you get fewer lumps with less effort. For something like gnocchi, you don’t want lumps if you can help it.

The other reason is that potatoes from a ricer should be fluffier and not sticky or gummy. Potatoes don’t have gluten, but they can still get gluey/sticky/pastey if you work them too much. Breaking them down with the ricer should minimize lumps so you don’t have to keep mashing and mashing to try to get the lumps out, and you don’t have to over cook (ie water log) the potatoes to get them to cooperate.

Some people are really good at mashing and to them I say more power to you. For me, I would rather take the tots for a spin around the ricer than chase lumps around a pot with a masher any day.

So there you have it!

4 Responses

I bought a persimmon tree because my husband said he liked persimmons. Now about 5 years later, he doesn’t really eat them that often. So…
About two years ago, I sliced and dried them. Seems to have worked well – but we still have plenty…which he hasn’t eaten.

So this year, it was mush them time and make cookies. I found an old Foley food mill in a cupboard and started using that. Also started weighing flour instead of measuring it – it’s quicker. I can make a batch of cookies in about 45 minutes…a batch is about 36 to 40 1.5 inch cookies. Then I freeze them.

Had too many to even do that, so then I started milling them and freezing them in one cup containers…then popped them out and stuffed them in plastic bags. All ready to into the cookies later this year. I’m finally done with them (you have _no_ idea how many I gave away!) for this year…and have the Foley to thank.
I think it would serve you as well as a ricer to do your potatoes…(I know…took three paragraphs to get there!)

Marica says:
February 10, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Speaking of persimmon… I have a boat load in one of the crisper drawers. I’m told persimmons are at their best when they are over ripe.
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Our tree is a Hachiya type. They’re really pretty in the late fall when the leaves have fallen, leaving the bare branches with their bright orange fruits on them – sort of like natural Christmas tree decorations…! You can’t really eat them, I understand, until they’re mushy ripe, or they’re simply too astringent.

The other type are the flatish ones that are more like apples in texture when you eat them. I don’t know how to work with that type.

So…which type do you have? If you have the Hachiya type, I’d be happy to pass on my cookie recipe – it’s pretty easy!