This is a recipe from my childhood, one that we learned from a family friend, Yvonne Francis, who hosted us at her Cranston, RI home for a memorable Thanksgiving in the 1980s. Using a stockpot, bring about 12 cups of water to a boil, adding a little (about 1 tsp) salt. Peel 6 medium-large Russet potatoes (or 7 Yukon) and then cut into 3-inch chunks (I do this by cutting each peeled potato in half vertically, then cutting each vertical half into 3 chunks). Add the potatoes to the boiling water, cover, reduce heat to medium/medium-high so that the water is at an active boil (but not a furious one), and then cook until potatoes are fork-tender (about 18-20 mins). Drain the potatoes in a colander, then transfer to a large, high-walled mixing bowl. Separately, heat about ¾ cup milk in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Place about 2 Tbsp of room-temperature unsalted butter into the hot potato mixture, then using a hand-mixer, blend the potatoes to make them relatively smooth. Slowly pour in ½ cup of the hot milk (¼ cup at a time), blending the potatoes. Fold in salt and pepper to taste (I use about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper). Taste the mashed potatoes. If they are not creamy enough, you can blend in an additional 1 Tbsp of butter and the remaining ¼ cup of hot milk – but play it by ear, depending on the moisture level of the potatoes. Serve and enjoy. Or you can make this dish a day before Thanksgiving; it reheats well in the microwave. (Nov. 2015)
Note: I used to prefer Yukon, but as of 2020, I think Russets yield a fluffier texture. (Aug. 2020)
Cooking Adventures 