Help - advice needed!

[Shelley G.]

I'd like to make mashed potatoes (with variations and savoury additions) in advance, and hold them, without impairing the flavour and texture. Any thoughts?

[dano1]

wrap em in plastic.

[daniellewiley]

We use a crockpot to keep 'em warm.

[petite tête de chou]

I'd like to make mashed potatoes (with variations and savoury additions) in advance, and hold them, without impairing the flavour and texture.  Any thoughts?

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I put them in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Also, I use a buttered piece of parchment paper to cover them- the paper touches the potatoes. I found that covering the entire bowl caused condensation and if left long enough added way to much water to the potatoes and eventually made them gummy.

[Toliver]

I can't find it now but there was a previous discussion about this.

I would suggest trying the method described in the eGCI class "The Potato Primer". You pre-cook the potatoes and then just re-warm them and do the mashing and mixing at the last minute.

Dave the Cook also had a great suggestion here (post #10):

"Reheating mashed potatoes" (you might want to start at the beginning of the discussion for other tips)

For something a little different, you could try Dave the Cook's "Technique: molten masher muffins"

You can also follow the link in his first post to maggiethecat's "Potato Madeleines" discussion.

That being said, my mom always uses a thermal pot to hold and keep the mashed potatoes warm. You can see it here. She also has a thermal gravy carafe to keep the gravy piping hot which you can see here.

There are warmer appliances, warming trays, and even those fuzzy logic rice cookers that have a "warm" setting on them that you could always use.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

wrap em in plastic.

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This gets my vote, too. Wrap them up -- like pillows -- and hold the plastic packets over warm water.

Make them with a ricer or food mill to keep the spuds from being overworked, so that if you need to do more than give them a stir before serving, they don't glue-up.

[Dave the Cook]

I can't find it now but there was a previous discussion about this.

I would suggest trying the method described in the eGCI class "The Potato Primer". You pre-cook the potatoes and then just re-warm them and do the mashing and mixing at the last minute.

Dave the Cook also had a great suggestion here (post #10):

"Reheating mashed potatoes" (you might want to start at the beginning of the discussion for other tips)

For something a little different, you could try Dave the Cook's "Technique: molten masher muffins"

You can also follow the link in his first post to maggiethecat's "Potato Madeleines" discussion.

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Thanks for the reference, toliver. One thing I would add is the importance of holding back some of the fat in the initial processing. I've found that you can let the potatoes cool, keep them warm (any of the suggestions already mentioned will work), whatever -- as long as you beat the last portion of fat in as you're bringing them up to service temperature.

[Shelley G.]

Thank you all! I experimented with the potatoes for tonight's Thanksgiving dinner - riced them into the slow cooker which I turned to the "Keep Warm" setting. I added about half the fat I normally would, and added the rest right before serving. Perfection! I should have mentioned that I have just started offering dinner at my little restaurant - we are very busy at lunch, but dinner is pushing the envelope because the kitchen is unbelievably tiny. The supper menu is decidedly along the lines of bistro-like comfort food, and I really want to offer a special mash sometimes. I think it's a go!