The Unconfidential Cook

Mashed potatoes…pancakes with butter and maple syrup…Ffettuccine Carbonara: They’re all are hard for me to swallow, and I’m no fragile flower when it comes to eating fattening foods. Dr. Bob’s Chocolate ice cream is not too rich for me, and one or two Teuscher Champagne truffles are barely enough to get me started. The thicker the fudge sauce, the better (and I just want to heave when I see that Rachel Ray using Hershey’s syrup!). Anything [Mexican] swimming in cheese–bring it on! But it’s the rare occasion that I can get myself to happily eat mashed potatoes or pancakes or fettuncine Carbonara.

The operative word there is “happily” because I do not do that thing some women do–count every gram of fat and every calorie in any single bite of an indulgence. Isn’t indulging about happiness? When I eat something I shouldn’t I make sure I do it with gusto–and no guilt!–and enjoy ever single spoonful.

Perhaps the reason mashed potatoes are a forbidden food is because usually the only ones I do eat are what I make myself–if you’d tasted the ones at my college you’d never eat them “out” either. And, I see how much butter and cream goes in. Gross! But, as Emma says, dee…lish! That’s all she eats when I make ‘em–a great big bowl.

Here’s what I do: Using one big potato per person, peel and cut into chunks. Drop into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until tender. Meanwhile, and here’s the secret…mince one clove of garlic per person and drop into a saucepan filled with heavy cream (I use about a cup for every four to six potatoes), and simmer for at least ten minutes (I often do this beforehand and just lit it sit and steep). When potatoes are done, drain and return to pot. Mash, adding strained heavy cream until you get the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper, then add mounds of sweet butter, stirring until smooth–I’d say you can’t add to much, but you probably can; anyway, don’t hold back!  Then, top with more butter when serving.