The Tater Tot Topic

[slbunge]

Okay, I almost posted about this on the store brands thread, but as long as we're outing ourselves about Tater Tot usage... for those with Safeways (and I assume Von's) in the vicinity, try the house brand 'Tater Treats'. Much better than the 'original' Ore-Ida product, which underwent some kind of change some years ago and since then has been noticeably deficient. This is one of the few actual 'food products' I buy at Safeway.

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I'm so glad someone else thinks that OreIda they changed the recipe and the new product is not as good. I have still been buying them when I need my fix but now I'll be looking for the house brand when I'm at the store later this week.

[Mabelline]

Albertson's store brand is better as well. I want to explain that as far as latkes, they are close to what I've had, if you half-fry, add grated onions, and serve with the appropriate sides.

[tryska]

I love tater tots.

(at certain times of the month).

my favorite way of eating them isn't too exciting tho. I like em fried, til really crispy, covered with salt and fresh cracked black pepper, lots. And plenty of ketchup.

in a bowl lined with a paper towel.

[Rachel Perlow]

My only objection to much of the above is the addition of salt. Those golden nuggets are pretty salty already. Pepper is definitely a good accent.

[therese]

Okay, so maybe I've just never had a well-prepared Tater Tot.

The outsides are okay so long as they've been crisped enough, but I find the insides somehow slimey and mealy all at once.

If I've going for a fried potato product there are many others out there that I prefer.

[Jinmyo]

So Tater Tots are some kind of frozen french fry things?

[Jason Perlow]

So Tater Tots are some kind of frozen french fry things?

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Frozen, but not really french fries. They are made of shredded potatoes and formed into thumb-sized barrels. A second variant is made with the addition of grated onion, which makes it more like a latke.

You mean to tell me you don't have them in Canada?

[Jinmyo]

I don't know. Perhaps. I don't really look at that section in grocery stores.

I've made things like that from mashers, though. I bread little quenelles with panko and deep-fry them. If these are like that then they're probably pretty good.

Terrible name though.

[Jason Perlow]

Well, what you're talking about is more of a croquette (or as the Japanese call "Corokke" ). The interior texture of a Tater Tot is not like a croquette, which is smooth and creamy, its more like Latke.

And yes, despite the name, they are good. One of the best frozen potato products you can probably buy, actually.

[Toliver]

Didn't the old A&W drive-ins serve some sort of tater tots instead of fries?

Carl's Jr. (aka Hardee's) serves sort-of-tater tot-ish potato "disks" in the mornings. Not quite the real McCoy but still edible.

I had the Ralph's (Kroger's) brand tater tots with my faux machaca yesterday morning. I tend to bake my tots because it's a very hands-off method of cooking ("Set it and forget it!"). That being said, I truly prefer them fried...the crunch factor is far more satisfying compared to the baked tots.

[Jake]

And they are definitely available in Canada!

[andiesenji]

If I had to compare them to any other type of potato creations, I would say they are most like rosti. (Can't figure out how to get the two little .. over the o.)

I was making rosti long before TaterTots came on the market, and always made them by using a #20 disher to portion them so there would be more crust rather than just flattening them in the pan.

[therese]

I think the thing that I don't like about Tater Tots (and don't find to be an issue with latke or other grated potato pancakes that just aren't called latke) is that it seems as if the shredded potato has been sprayed or bathed or whatever in oil before the shapes are formed. So the insides seem oily and slimy to me rather than fluffy and potato-y, no matter whether they've been baked or deep fried.

This may or may not be the way they're made, but that's how they taste to me.

[bleachboy]

Listen. This thread has truly inspired me to a new Thanksgiving favorite.

I once went over to the home of a very unusual family for Christmas. Their motto was, on holidays, don't stick to Turkey with cranberry dressing. Fix what you LIKE. So their Christmas dinner involved crap like Mac 'n' Cheese, fried chicken, fried catfish, cheesecake, etc.

This Thanksgiving, my "vegetable contribution" shall be...

Mashed potatoes with tons of butter and white truffles, with Tater Tots floating around in the mix.

Damn, this is an inspirational thread.

[PattyO]

Just the words Tater Tots are bringing horrible flashbacks from my childhood.

Yes, I am a victim of Tater Tot Casserole.

Imagine trudging home from the bus stop, the snow and wind whipping you up one side and down the other. You finally step inside your haven...your home. "Mom! What's for dinner?" "TATER TOT CASSEROLE".

It was enough to bring tears to your eyes.

I have not eaten a single tater tot since I left for college many years ago.

[katbert]

I love fried potato products and I like tatertots. As for finding them in Canada, the grocery stores in Edmonton definitely carried tater tots, at least as of a year or two. I remember McCain's dominating the frozen potato section, with at least a dozen different kinds of fries, etc. Also there was (is?) that pseudo Mexican mall fast food chain that sold tater tots and also cinnamon twists (their v. of churros) sitting under heat lamps.

One frozen potato thing that seems to be less common in the American grocery stores that I've used is hash browns in the 1/2 cm cubic format. I find a lot of french fry cut varieties, frozen patties & nuggets, but not these breakfasty ones. (And yes, I can dice and fry potatoes, but sometimes it's nice not to dice=lazy).

[patti]

Just the words Tater Tots are bringing horrible flashbacks from my childhood. 

Yes, I am a victim of Tater Tot Casserole.

Imagine trudging home from the bus stop, the snow and wind whipping you up one side and down the other.  You finally step inside your haven...your home.  "Mom!  What's for dinner?"  "TATER TOT CASSEROLE".

It was enough to bring tears to your eyes.

I have not eaten a single tater tot since I left for college many years ago.

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Maybe the key to enjoying Tater Tots is never having been subjected to them in childhood as a casserole ingredient?

[Septemberdog61]

Next ya'll will tell me that you don't like jello. How many bubbles can I survive bursting in one day? Please, I beg of you, take it easy.

Hate jello. Love Tater Tots. Love 'em on my burger with globs of melted cheddar cheese, a slice of raw red onion and loads of hot BBQ sauce. My mouth loves texture. Jello's like a blob in my mouth, but Tater Tots? Heaven. Bliss. Sublime pleasure.

[tryska]

My only objection to much of the above is the addition of salt. Those golden nuggets are pretty salty already. Pepper is definitely a good accent.

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*lol* when i'm hormonal there is no such thing as too salty. besides the ketchup is there to cut it.

[tryska]

Just the words Tater Tots are bringing horrible flashbacks from my childhood. 

Yes, I am a victim of Tater Tot Casserole.

Imagine trudging home from the bus stop, the snow and wind whipping you up one side and down the other.  You finally step inside your haven...your home.  "Mom!  What's for dinner?"  "TATER TOT CASSEROLE".

It was enough to bring tears to your eyes.

I have not eaten a single tater tot since I left for college many years ago.

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Maybe the key to enjoying Tater Tots is never having been subjected to them in childhood as a casserole ingredient?

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you might be right, because personally PattyO's nightmare sounds like a good time to me. it definitely beats upma night at my house.

[eunny jang]

Ahhh. Hot Dish, Funeral Potatoes, etc. Confession: never ate this sort or thing growing up, but when I found myself dating a tiny-town guy from Sebeka, Minnesota, I embraced that stuff with no irony.

[Jason Perlow]

Tater Tots are celebrating their golden anniversary this year. Here's Ore-ida's Tater Tot site:

http://www.oreida.com/tot_spot/

They've apprently rolled out a new "Extra Crispy" variant which now I really want to try, even if I have to pay a premium for it instead of the $1.60 per huge bag of supermarket brand ones.

Whoa. I didnt realize Heinz owns Ore-ida. Maybe I need to reconsider that thought. At least for another two days.

[FistFullaRoux]

Yet another in a long line of "Let's find a way to use the rest of this thing" solutions. And that solution is perfect with a Sonic Chili-Cheese Coney. My favorite fast food.

Love the little guys, but if I have more than 8-10 of them, they start making me queasy. I just have to pace myself.

[EllenC]

I love tater tots and we had tater tot casserole at home growing up. It doesn't bear much resemblance to what you describe though:

Take a pound of hamburger and brown it. Add flour, and cook for a minute. Add milk, salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Add mixed vegetables. Pour into a casserole dish and top with tater tots. Cook until the 'tots are done. Eat.

I think it's good.

I also like them plain with salt and ketchup.

Ellen

[phifly04]

im a huge tot fan so long as there really,really crunchy,

Dave s