Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

This is exactly what I was looking for! I, too, am a fan of both lumpy and creamy potatoes, depending on the meal. For this T-day, I was hoping to find a fool-proof (because, alas, I can be such a fool in the kitchen) method for creamy mashers. I can't wait to try it out.

Russets? Why not just use Potato Buds? And also, ditto on the cream and butter overdose; sounds greasy.

These days, I tend to use whole un-peeled yukons and just crush them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. It's a much lighter result that lets the potatoes speak for themselves.

Count me among the lump-lovers. Also love the skin. In fact, I've had really ethereal soft pillows of creamy mashed potatoes and they remind me of baby food, taste notwithstanding.

@velcerick & J. Kenji - wouldn't it be worth it to work it through something like a foley food mill before you put it through the screen?

Hah... I didn't finish reading your comment... I guess you mentioned the strainer :p

I used to use a ricer, but it made including the skins a total pain. I finally remembered my mother's method, and it turned out pretty well: boil your potatoes (I do want to try steaming them after reading this though), mash them roughly, then use a hand mixer to incorporate your dairy/butter/etc. I kind of did it on the fly with the dairy proportions, but it worked really well and wasn't as labor intensive.

I think the whole idea of tipping is ridiculous: do you tip the toll collector for taking your money? Do you tip the gas man for reading your meter? Do you tip your IT guy for fixing your computer? Of course not. Now, obviously, they don't live on tips. GUESS WHAT: NEITHER SHOULD WAITERS! How insane is it that a customer has to pay basically twice: for the food and for the service? Can you imagine if we had to tip UPS person for delivering the package to your house? Here's another tidbit: are the dishes heavier at T.G.I. Fridays than they are in a fancy steakhouse with $100+ dishes? Where do you come off with a sense of entitlement to a $20 tip just because the food was $100, whereas at Fridays a $20 plate would only get a $4 tip? If restaurant you work at charges that much for food, let them pay you! Enough is enough!

Art Chantry said some of the band logos he designed were better than the band. I think this describes Tazo, packaging is better than the product.

Stone Brewing Company has some great design work. Definitely catch the eye. Monster Energy has the best design out of the energy drinks, IMO, though the big Jolt battery shaped containers are pretty good too. And not that this is normal food, but Nature's Best Isopure whey protein has a really clean and appealing design.

As a kid, I have to admit, I loved cereal boxes. I don't even eat cereal now, but I loved the cartoons, the prizes, reading the back of the box...

Alanna, hilarious!

And naomi, I'm glad it worked. It does seem to get better the longer it sits.

All the major book publishers have been fairly enthusiastic about making book deals with blogs lately... I have no idea how much they're paying... so if you have thoughts about a food blog that speaks to the lolcat demographic, do it. Don't try to be the next Elizabeth David. You might get an IACP award, but your sales will be terrible.

Come on people. Really, does it matter what the package looks like as long as the product is the same? It's obvious most people don't like change, but it's part of life. Maybe it is less expensive to make the new carton. Yes, they should offer a discount if this is true. Think about this though.... Haven't you made some cuts in your budget because of today's economy? Maybe they are doing the same. Who really cares if it looks generic? I'll be the first to admit that I buy certain generic products. If the taste is there, what difference does it really make? Think about it....