WineLovers Discussion Group

It's not just the chains, even Gruet Steakhouse in Albuquerque does them. It it just lazy chefs? Trying to ride the trend? Come on chefs, get off your duffs and be creative with the potato!

Heretic!

As an ancestral Irishman and a wannabe Eye-talian, the combination of potatoes and garlic is sublime.

Yeah, I'll admit everyone seems to be doing them----but then everybody should, from my point of view. Can't have enough.

Actually, my fave potatoes combo is spuds and swiss chard, or kale.

But then, I'll take spuds combined with pretty much anything. Have you had potatoes comboed with gorgonzola yet?

Hoke wrote:Actually, my fave potatoes combo is spuds and swiss chard, or kale.

But then, I'll take spuds combined with pretty much anything. Have you had potatoes comboed with gorgonzola yet?

My dad was Danish and every Christmas he used to make mashed potatoes with kale. It took a lot of time, he said.

I loved it. Wish I could remember what that dish was called!

I've made mashed potatoes with garlic and home made chicken stock for years. Some times I add sour cream. But mostly, I just love mashed potatoes, plain. Especially if they are fresh.

I've tried the potaotes combined with gorgonzola. I use very little cheese as I don't want to over power the spuds.

I don't know what the Swedish version is, Karen, but potatoes and kale (usually with onions sauteed in butter) is called colcannon in Ireland and the British Isles, and it's lovely stuff.

As far as garlic mashed goes, still love them, but for a different take, I really like mixing some cooked celeraic in with the mashed potatoes.

Oops, sorry, meant I don't know what the Danish version is called, not Swedish!

I'm with Hoke. They're a bit common, but they're so damn good....


Mike

Sorry Doug, but I hang with the crowd on this one! Garlic (and a great glass of vino, of course) is the answer to just about everything important in life...lol!

I think the thickened kale part of the dish is called grønlangkål in Danish, Karen. You serve the kale, as almost everything in classic Danish cooking, with potatoes in one form or another.

Mercifully, my mother was willing to make some non-Norwegian specialities for the holidays -- this was one of my favorites. I grew kale and covered it with hay for months before Christmas just to be able to convince her to make it.

I still like them, but would prefer some variety now and again. Wasabi mashed potatoes add a nice zing to chicken and pork dishes while white truffle mashed potatoes are, IMHO, the perfect accompaniment to a nice medium-rare piece of beef.

Doug Surplus wrote:It's not just the chains, even Gruet Steakhouse in Albuquerque does them. It it just lazy chefs? Trying to ride the trend? Come on chefs, get off your duffs and be creative with the potato!

Doug, I know what you're saying. I'm not "tired" of them exactly, but it's nice to see something different every once in awhile. For instance, a nice brew pub up in Traverse City does them with a coarse ground mustard, and a healthy helping of it, at that; and it's a nice change of pace.

<<hmmm>>

Doug, I'm fine with garlic mashed potatoes, but I'm tired of having them so badly done--gluey textured, or rancid tasting because the garlic came out of a jar.

Jenise, that's a sore point too, poorly done. My daughter said my home-made mashed were a lot better than the ones at Gruet.

For all you garlic-lovers - I'm not opposed to garlic mashed potatoes - I make them myself, but not all the time. I'd just lie to see some variety offered in restaurants.

Doug Surplus wrote:Jenise, that's a sore point too, poorly done. My daughter said my home-made mashed were a lot better than the ones at Gruet.

For all you garlic-lovers - I'm not opposed to garlic mashed potatoes - I make them myself, but not all the time. I'd just lie to see some variety offered in restaurants.

Yeah, I know. That's the same reason I lament occasionally about salmon in restaurants: it's everywhere, it's a standard fallback, and it's usually mediocre.

Oh, Hoke ... you are so right. One of my favorite foods, but I can't even think of a restaurant where it's reliably good.

I find it so easy to make at home ... I wonder why it's generally so mediocre. Maybe Chef can chime in.

around these parts we call them 'garlic mashers' partner!

What did you think of Gruet Steakhouse, Doug (besides the garlic mashed)? My friends and I keep meaning to go there, but never quite make it.

I will agree with you. I used to love Garlic Mashed Potatoes, but I've gotten so tired of having them every time I turn around that I'm almost ready to turn down even the good ones! Ther's so many other ways to do mashed potatoes, why not offer some variety? Gargonzola is great, so is sour cream and bacon bits. Ever try cream cheese? It adds a subtle smoothness that compliments spicy saurkraut dishes beautifully. Combining them with Celiac or mashed turnips can add wonderful new deminsions, I even know one person who swears by the addition of rutabaga.

Cynthia Wenslow wrote:What did you think of Gruet Steakhouse, Doug (besides the garlic mashed)? My friends and I keep meaning to go there, but never quite make it.

Our visit was a mixed bag. Our server was not very good, but I did observe others who were. My daughter's filet was rather ordinary (we've had better at Black Angus) and was the dish with the garlic mashed. I had a stuffed tenderloin which was quite good and my potatoes were lobster whipped(lobster stock, chunks of claw meat, onions and spices).

The Caesar salad was served whole leaf, but the dressing was a bit sweet and not at all Caesar-like. The dessert choices were not exciting.

There was nothing to entice me to return, especially given the prices.

Thanks for that info, Doug. I can safely skip it then... unless someone else is buying.