Canned Sweet Potatoes/ Yams

I'm pretty sure I didn't buy new potatoes, who wants to peel all those little guys 

Lordy, if I'm too lazy to buy an Idaho, do you think I'm peeling all those little 'uns?  Nope.  It's skin and all, baby!   

VictoriaS, I don't think I've seen any potatoes labeled as King Edward's. Are they seasonal and where do you find them? Also, I've never seen potatoes in the stored labeled as Idaho; we shop at Sainsbury, Tesco, and Waitrose.

My husband would love a good Idaho baked potato; he likes the thick crispy skin ;-) I'm going to have a go at the sweet potatoes and will try mash, one more time, this weekend. I may walk up to the kitchen shop in High Street and see if they have a "masher" instead of using the mixer.

It also occurred to me that mashing may be the wrong word for what I made in the US; the consistency was more whipped than mashed, fluffy as my son would say - lumps were a no-no. So perhaps I've been trying to duplicate fluffy and the difference in potatoes and mixers are all resulting in mash instead of fluffy 

Thanks again for all the great hints and advice!!

VictoriaS, I don't think I've seen any potatoes labeled as King Edward's. Are they seasonal and where do you find them? Also, I've never seen potatoes in the stored labeled as Idaho; we shop at Sainsbury, Tesco, and Waitrose.

When you buy a bag of potatoes don't they have the breed (if you will) of potatoes on them and the suggested usage??? I am always clear on what kind of potatoes I am buying...I never saw that in the states.

I never really looked at the bags over here. There is a label over the bin that says something like best for baking or new potatoes. In the States I seem to remember labels, Idaho, Mountain Gold...those are all that come to mind.

Grocery stores are my worst nightmare here. It's not the store, it's me. It's the old American complaint that "nothing is where it belongs" for example unrefrigerated eggs and ketchup/condiments (above the frozen foods)  I'm sure a UK shopper in the US would be equally puzzled at US grocery stores.

All spuds (unless it's 'Tesco value spuds' or similar) will have what kind they are clearly on the bag...whether King Edwards, Charlottes, whatever. 

i think perhaps we are talking at cross purposes here.  I don't think mashed potatoes would ever be made using a mixer - it's either a masher or a fork, and lumps are optional!  If I want them lump free and creamy then I use an egg, and just work them over a bit more with the masher.  I'd never thought of putting them in a blender!


Vicky

I don't think mashed potatoes would ever be made using a mixer - it's either a masher or a fork, and lumps are optional!  If I want them lump free and creamy then I use an egg, and just work them over a bit more with the masher.  I'd never thought of putting them in a blender!


Vicky

My laziness knows no bounds.  Once, I used the food processor.  I had just finished using it.  Ya know, it was there.  It was convenient.  So...

I think we now know why they turned out gummy.  Yup.

I always do my mash with a hand blender. After using a potato masher. I like it really creamy.

I never use a mixer or blender. It's a masher or, if we really want lump-free, then the ricer. Mixers and blenders are often the culprit if you are prone to gluey messes.

All spuds (unless it's 'Tesco value spuds' or similar) will have what kind they are clearly on the bag...whether King Edwards, Charlottes, whatever. 

this is one of the joys of living in this country... so many varieties of potatoes to try!!

I just remember brown (the size of your forearm) and red ones at home.

I like my potatoes with lumps and skin. But just using a masher and elbow grease and the right amount of milk and butter and you should be fine.

I never really looked at the bags over here.

Look at the labels.
That's the only way you will know if the tatties you're buying are fit for the way you intend to cook/serve them.

Hopefully this will help you?
http://www.britishpotatoes.co.uk/varieties.asp

That's what I was thinking too!!

My sis and I can never remember if it is sweet potatoes or yams we use in her popular holiday dish. We end up using sweet potatoes and they come out delicious after they are peeled, boiled and baked. They are healthy for you too... not including the brown sugar, butter and pineapple slathered on top!!

Being pedantic, but they're both sweet potatoes, not yams.  However,  the orange fleshed sweet potato (what we know as a yam) will work better for your Thanksgiving spuds, it has a higher moisture content and is naturally a touch sweeter.  Mmmm I love me a sweet potater 

Being pedantic, but they're both sweet potatoes, not yams.  However,  the orange fleshed sweet potato (what we know as a yam) will work better for your Thanksgiving spuds, it has a higher moisture content and is naturally a touch sweeter.  Mmmm I love me a sweet potater 

not to be pedantic either, but there is some regional variation there in what people call yams and sweet potatoes. They are not exactly interchangable. Yams are starchy tubers and nothing like the flesh of a sweet potato.

not to be pedantic either, but there is some regional variation there in what people call yams and sweet potatoes. They are not exactly interchangable. Yams are starchy tubers and nothing like the flesh of a sweet potato.

Sorry to cause confusion.  I just meant what we call yams in the States aren't actually yams at all, but a different variety of sweet potato.  True Yams are indigenous to Africa and are HUGE. 

Sorry to cause confusion.  I just meant what we call yams in the States aren't actually yams at all, but a different variety of sweet potato.  True Yams are indigenous to Africa and are HUGE. 

yes, and they can be found in the states too.  whether they are home grown or not... well that's another story.

I like my potatoes with lumps and skin. But just using a masher and elbow grease and the right amount of milk and butter and you should be fine.

I like lumps, too! Smooth mashed potatoes feel a little weird to me.