Mashed potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes?

[deskjockey]

I found the French Fry thread and went down the Rabbit Hole!

I still remember a remarkable "orange" mashed Pumpkin side in the Netherlands. In retrospect, I wonder if they were really Sweet Potatoes as this was a small hole-in-the-wall place and the waitress was really nervous around this 'Yank' speaking English and my Dutch was terrible.

Before I start randomly Googling mashed potatoes, I thought I would see what folks around here really like and, if "eating" Pumpkins actually exist! The only Pumpkins I've seen locally are Halloween gourds so, not an edible variety. This coming Spring, I may try to grow some eating Pumpkins.

I'm looking to expand my diet to include Carotene vegetables in it a lot more but, nothing extreme. So, rolling into the Winter, mashed potatoes seems like a natural choice. Plus, I'm sick of instant potatoes and need more than roasted or baked options!

 

[coxhaus]

I have had really good pumpkin soup and pie. I was thinking about growing the smaller eating pumpkins but they take up so much room. I just don't want to give up that much garden space.

I have some whipped potatoes haunting me. I had them at a wine dinner and I cannot match the flavor. I am going back to Pignetti's in Temple Texas and ask them. I really love this place. The food is great and the wine list is large and well done. I almost forgot to say the wait staff know their wines.

 

[Jovidah]

I've mostly seen pumpkin turned into soup... didn't see it as a puree but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be possible. Sweet potato puree I have seen and made myself; can be quite decent, if you don't mind the idea that you're eating baby food (but that's a problem with all puree for me).

 

[BillHanna]

Gotta leave some lumps.

 

[ian]

They have pie or sugar pumpkins at all grocery stores around me, at least in the fall. They’re smaller than many of the huge jack o lantern pumpkins, but otherwise look similar. I love making pies with them, and I also like pureed soups, risotto, ravioli, beer, roasted pieces, and all the other things you can do with them.

 

[stringer]

I've mostly seen pumpkin turned into soup... didn't see it as a puree but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be possible. Sweet potato puree I have seen and made myself; can be quite decent, if you don't mind the idea that you're eating baby food (but that's a problem with all puree for me).

If you don't want your puree or mashed potatoes to have baby food texture then you should invest in a food mill. My absolute favorite for mashed potatoes or mashed sweets. Most grocery stores have them for under $20 at least in the states. Mine is vintage from a flea market and I think I got it for $5 or something. Even for restaurants if I want fine dining level mashed I go to a food mill. Just a much larger stainless steel one.

 

[Jovidah]

That's what I used, but I still consider it babyfood. Admittedly it did turn out better than the glue-ish abomination that was occasionally passed off as mash. Maybe my definition of babyfood is too liberal. I just prefer to actually chew on my food... the whole idea of purees, even when done well, is just not for me. Could also be from working in a hospital kitchen in a while; for me they have this association with being for the sickest of the sick patients.

 

[MarcelNL]

a passe vite (food mill) IME does the same thing as most tools (ricer, blender etc) used for making puree with baby food texture, the good old Dutch masher IMO does better in preserving texture.
I do like the odd bit of puree on a plate , like a dollop or a smear here and there as high end restauarants use for fancy plating. Other than that puree to me also is food for folks when they have had serious abdominal surgery...

Glue IME is due to too long processing, and or the variety of potatoes.

 

[McMan]

In the US, unless you're buying the pumpkin yourself, much of the "pumpkin" is actually several other squashes (often hubbard squash), which are permitted to be labeled as "pumpkin". Hubbard squash keeps more weight when cooked so has a higher yield for things like pumpkin pie filling, box soup, etc. etc.

The little "pie pumkins" can be nice roasted.
I see your in Tx, so I don't know what sort of squashes will be available now and later in the Fall, but squashes can be a lot of fun since each variety has a different taste/texture. Always good with a roast chicken, roast/carmelize thin-sliced on pasta, curry squash soup, with turkey mole, ...

 

[deskjockey]

In the US, unless you're buying the pumpkin yourself, much of the "pumpkin" is actually several other squashes (often hubbard squash), which are permitted to be labeled as "pumpkin". Hubbard squash keeps more weight when cooked so has a higher yield for things like pumpkin pie filling, box soup, etc. etc.

The little "pie pumkins" can be nice roasted.
I see your in Tx, so I don't know what sort of squashes will be available now and later in the Fall, but squashes can be a lot of fun since each variety has a different taste/texture. Always good with a roast chicken, roast/carmelize thin-sliced on pasta, curry squash soup, with turkey mole, ...

I do eat a lot of squash in general. However, something that has the appearance of a pumpkin or the color of a pumpkin is pretty rare.

99% of the local "squash" available comes from Mexico. This year I totally missed the "Patty Pans" I got at the local farmers market.