Many of you know, Turkey Day is hosted by the Fiorillo household, and we have anywhere from 20-28 people for dinner. As neither my sister, nor I have a house that can hold that – my dad, the patriarch of the family, is still cooking up a storm for the influx of family – with help of course.
Everyone brings something, and last year I was assigned mashed potatoes. Now, as a cook I thought this would be no problem – maybe add some rosemary, a little bit of garlic – something to give it some flair. But I was warned, in my very traditional family you “don’t mess with the mashed potatoes!” So, I didn’t. Well for some reason when the y were heated up for dinner, they separated, were over cooked and just became, well, not the quality that I like to associate with my culinary skills. Luckily Jack took the heat and I said that he made them….but I was thoroughly embarrassed (luckily I had made dessert that was a huge hit).
And just so you don’t think I’m an amateur in the kitchen, I make my own tomato sauce and pasta, I can put together beef burgundy with my eyes closed, I make a chocolate Guinness cake that will make you cry and I’ve been told by a friend who grew up in North Carolina that I “cook better than his mama!”
Well this year comes around and my dad pulls out his spreadsheet (yes, I said spreadsheet – you have no idea how detailed this gets) and at first I’m assigned to bring bread and wine – hey, I’m Jesus! But at the last minute I have been assigned the mashed potatoes again. Now, I make kick a** mashed potatoes, when in my own kitchen. But I am scared that my culinary stock will plummet again this year, as I have to make them early and transport them. So I spent 2 hours last night going through cookbooks and websites to read how to make mashed potatoes. Am I crazy? I offered to make roasted potatoes, a potato gratin or even a bunch of baked potatoes, but as I said before, you “don’t mess with the mashed potatoes!”
So here goes nuthin’! Time to conquer the spud!
My thoughts on whatever passes through my line of sight.
2 comments:
conquer it baby... conquer it.
Gina, You done well child. There were NO leftover mashed potatoes, so you know you did them just right. Not one single comment, and you know if there was a problem, there would be comments. I am sorry for the last minute task assignment, but I ran out of people I would trust with such an item. Please save whatever tips you found to make them and transport them so that they were just right. They were the best ones ever.
With all my love,
the guy with the spreadsheet.
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