
How to Cook Potatoes in Godey’s Lady’s Book
Godey’s Lady’s Book magazine was intended to entertain, inform and educate the women of America. In addition to extensive fashion descriptions and plates, the early issues included biographical sketches, articles about mineralogy, handcrafts, female costume, the dance, equestrienne procedures, health and hygiene, recipes and remedies and the like.
Our collection provides the complete run of Godey’s Lady’s Book, and is the only one containing the color plates as they originally appeared.
These potato recipes appeared in the February 1867 issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book.
BOILED POTATOES — There are really so many ways of even boiling potatoes that it is difficult to satisfy one’s mind which is the best, each being good, providing it is well done. The French, however, hold that by using too much water the flavor of the potatoes becomes seriously impaired; but it depends entirely upon the quality of the potatoes whether they are better done in their jackets or peeled: though towards the end of spring, when they get old, it is greatly preferable to pare them, as the skins then contain a narcotic property which gives the potatoes a strongly disagreeable flavor. In any case, potatoes should be boiled quickly, care being taken to choose them of an equal size, and cutting them in half when they are large. Rather small-sized potatoes are to be chosen in preference to those of overgrown proportions, and it is at all times in better taste to have potatoes rather underdone than boiled to pieces.
The following is the most generally received method of boiling potatoes. Thoroughly wash and pare them, place them in a small saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them, place them upon a clear fire, and bring them to a boil as speedily as possible. Good potatoes of a proper size will be done in about fifteen or twenty minutes after beginning to boil. Strain off the water and serve as soon as possible, without sprinkling salt over them, or adding any to the water in which they were cooked. One thing against the addition of salt is that careless cooks generally use it with such a heavy hand. Some housekeepers advocate placing the saucepan of potatoes over the fire again after the water has been poured away, but if the potatoes are done as they should be, this process, instead of being an improvement, only tends to give the potatoes a bad flavor. When intended to be mashed or converted into a made-dish, potatoes should invariably be boiled without salt being employed, as it deadens them both in flavor and quality; but for made-dishes generally potatoes are preferable steamed instead of boiled.