A potato masher is a hand-held device used to mash cooked potatoes. It can be made of plastic or metal, and is still a useful tool despite the availability of electric devices. Potatoes should be baked for at least 30 minutes for best results. Mashed potatoes can be used for other foods, and mashing tools date back to ancient Egypt.
A potato masher is a hand-held device used to mash cooked potatoes. Most of these mashers have a handle attached to the wire, which can be folded into a wave design at the bottom. Others may have a flat, round bottom with several small holes through which the potatoes are forced when mashed. Some potato mashers are made of plastic, while others are made of various types of metal.
The practical action possible with a potato masher tends to make it very easy for a person to get potatoes with the exact texture they like. Electric devices such as mixers or blenders are normally recommended for making custard potatoes rather than mashed potatoes. Both metal and plastic meat grinders tend to work well, but metal will likely last longer than plastic. No matter all the electric devices that have come on the market over the years to make mashing potatoes easier, there will probably always be a need for the basic potato masher. If a person does not have a potato masher on hand, potatoes can be mashed adequately with a fork.
Mashed potatoes have many other uses than just mashed potatoes. There are a variety of other cooked foods that are also effective in purees, such as most fruits and vegetables. Baked apples can be mashed into applesauce and beans can be made into refried beans, thanks to the potato masher. Some people even use their meat grinders outside the kitchen. The type with the wave design tends to work well as a gardening tool as well.
For best results with a potato masher, it’s a good idea to bake a potato for at least 30 minutes in the oven. Cooking time is typically much faster in a microwave oven; microwave potatoes usually cook in about 8 to 10 minutes. Potatoes that are undercooked are generally very difficult to mash, so getting the right amount of tenderness is very important to getting good results with a potato masher.
In history, tools for mashing food date back to the times of ancient Egypt. During their explorations of the tombs, the archaeologists discovered remains of tools most likely used for the purpose of mashing food. The Egyptians probably used their mashers for things like vegetables and grains rather than potatoes, which they probably had no knowledge of.
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