Subject: Mashed Potatoes and Cramps!
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:13:20 -0600
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For the past 4 hours my hands have been painfully cramping up! It's been awful. They charley horse and disfigure beyond my control!
I couldn't figure out why. It just dawned on me!!!
For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for all the time and energy it took to hand crank them through the food mill, my hands are now cramping up from working "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
I don't make mashed potatoes often enough, obviously.
Anyone had this happen to them?
From: Ravenlynne (ravenlynne at yahoo.com)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:20:31 -0500
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I get pain in my shoulder from it...not my hands, but I'm not surprised
that you did..it's very possible.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:44:12 -0600
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Ravenlynne said...
> I get pain in my shoulder from it...not my hands, but I'm not surprised
> that you did..it's very possible.
Ravenlynne,
I feel like such a couch potato at the moment.
Don't forget to write! :)
All the best,
Andy
From: "Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" (shopalot at foodsource.eat)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:33:10 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for all the time
> and energy it took to hand crank them through the food mill, my hands
> are now cramping up from working "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
Baloney. It was all the beer you drank while preparing lunch ;)
Michael <- never had this happen
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:58:40 -0600
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Michael "Dog3" Lonergan said...
> Baloney. It was all the beer you drank while preparing lunch ;)
>
> Michael <- never had this happen
Michael,
Wish I HAD a beer!
It was quite a PITA. I spent equal effort keeping the mill steady over the bowl while cranking it. Next thing, the bowl is full and I'm holding the mill in one hand and cranking it with the other in mid air. I should've mashed them back into the pot! :(
BUM Food Mill!!!
On a bright note, they were delicious. Should've skipped the jarred "turkey sodium" gravy.
I found a recipe for mashed potato pancakes on foodTV for tomorrow's breakfast. Should be interesting.
Andy
From: "Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" (shopalot at foodsource.eat)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:40:30 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> Wish I HAD a beer!
I'll fax one right over along with some Ibuprofen ;)
> It was quite a PITA. I spent equal effort keeping the mill steady over
> the bowl while cranking it. Next thing, the bowl is full and I'm
> holding the mill in one hand and cranking it with the other in mid
> air. I should've mashed them back into the pot! :(
>
> BUM Food Mill!!!
That is precisely why I use the old fashioned potato masher with the handle. One can also work out their aggressions on the potatoes by using that method. Besides, I like my mashed potatoes a little on the lumpy side.
> On a bright note, they were delicious. Should've skipped the jarred
> "turkey sodium" gravy.
Jarred gravy is full of sodium. I do use it now and then in a pinch and have 1 each of pork, beef, chicken and mushroom in the pantry.
> I found a recipe for mashed potato pancakes on foodTV for tomorrow's
> breakfast. Should be interesting.
Do you remember if the recipe contains egg? I *think* I tried one of Emeril's renditions of mashed potato pancakes and they were awful. It contained egg to bind the potatoes and several other things which I have long forgotten.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:49:23 -0600
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Michael "Dog3" Lonergan said...
> Do you remember if the recipe contains egg? I *think* I tried one of
> Emeril's renditions of mashed potato pancakes and they were awful. It
> contained egg to bind the potatoes and several other things which I have
> long forgotten.
The recipe I found at foodTV:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/potato-pancakes-recipe2-1913219
It's about identical, a little less flour and more onion than Mr. Breakfast's version.
I visited
Mrbreakfast.com and went over the reviews.
I'll make the Mr. Breakfast recipe.
Thanks again,
Andy
From: Julie Bove (juliebove at verizon.net)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:43:42 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for all the time and
> energy it took to hand crank them through the food mill, my hands are now
> cramping up from working "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
Why don't you just get one of those mashers? That's what I use and it doesn't cause my trouble. Now come canning season my hands will cramp. But I'm spending days on end peeling apples and pears.
From: yetanotherBob (yetanotherbob at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:45:59 -0500
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Andy says...
> For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for all the time and
> energy it took to hand crank them through the food mill, my hands are now
> cramping up from working "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
Not yet with mashing potatoes, but definitely with other, similar repetitive "manual" stuff, like putting together a shelving unit that has umpteen bolts, nuts and lockwashers to torque down, using a "hand-driven" screwdriver (remember those?).
But then again, did you add baking powder to the mashed potatoes? If so, and if you also feel bloated or perhaps "lighter" or more "fluffy" than usual, I'd definitely suspect the baking powder. Could be a sign of a latent allergy. Keep an eye on it, but usually such symptoms pass.
How were the potatoes? ;-)
Bob
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:37:08 -0600
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yetanotherBob said...
> How were the potatoes? ;-)
Bob,
Heh, heh, heh! No baking powder!
They turned out great! It's TOO simple, was just bad execution!
Andy
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:23:46 -0600
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Andy wrote:
> Heh, heh, heh! No baking powder!
> They turned out great! It's TOO simple, was just bad execution!
I did not even read that thread... It sounded pointless and disgusting!
Baking powder in mashed potatoes?
Ew. Just EW!!!
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 22 Jan 2007 23:54:16 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for all the time
> and energy it took to hand crank them through the food mill, my hands
> are now cramping up from working "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
That must have been an *awful* lot of mashed potato, or your 'food mill' is a piece of crap and needs to be replaced :-)
I use a hand held masher. Works great, and no need to update it every couple of years ;-)
From: Andy (q)
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:29:39 -0600
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Peter Lucas said...
> That must have been an *awful* lot of mashed potato, or your 'food mill'
> is a piece of crap and needs to be replaced :-)
Peter Lucas,
I used two pounds of Yukon Golds. (5 medium sized, quartered). The mill is small so I could only mill 3 quarters at a time. Still a slow process cranking, back-cranking, cranking. It probably would have been easier using it over the flat bottomed pot rather than the teetering mixing bowl! :(
> I use a hand held masher. Works great, and no need to update it every
> couple of years ;-)
I've got the modern potato ricer and a handheld masher. Next batch I'll put the ricer to work.
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:22:46 -0600
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Andy wrote:
> I've got the modern potato ricer and a handheld masher. Next batch I'll put
> the ricer to work.
Get a good food processor. :-)
Or a meat grinder...... -> ducking and running but not convinced that that would not work! <lol>
When we actually ate mashed spuds many moons ago, mom and I used a ricer and a stick blender.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 12:03:30 -0600
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Omelet said...
> Get a good food processor. :-)
>
> Or a meat grinder...... -> ducking and running but not convinced that
> that would not work! <lol>
Om,
When you think about it in terms of cleanup... the handheld masher wins!!!
The potato ricer is the easy second place finisher.
Thanks for helping me see it from a PRACTICAL point of view!
...meat grinder?!?
:)
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 12:48:49 -0600
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Andy wrote:
> When you think about it in terms of cleanup... the handheld masher wins!!!
>
> The potato ricer is the easy second place finisher.
>
> Thanks for helping me see it from a PRACTICAL point of view!
>
> ...meat grinder?!?
It's worth a shot now that I actually have one... <G>
<winks>
From: Mr Libido Incognito (Not at vaild.null)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:04:24 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
> It's worth a shot now that I actually have one... <G>
In taste tests the potato ricer made better mashed spuds...next the food mill and the potato masher came in third.
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 23 Jan 2007 23:49:12 GMT
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Mr Libido Incognito wrote:
> In taste tests the potato ricer made better mashed spuds...next the food
> mill and the potato masher came in third.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Now I know what a potato ricer is!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_ricer
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:42:45 -0600
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Peter Lucas wrote:
> Now I know what a potato ricer is!!!
>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_ricer
I actually have a teensy one for garlic.
Best press I've ever had!
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 24 Jan 2007 03:59:17 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
> I actually have a teensy one for garlic.
> Best press I've ever had!
Yep, same same.
https://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/garlic-garlic-press.html
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:21:08 -0600
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Peter Lucas wrote:
> Yep, same same.
>
https://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/garlic-garlic-press.html
I do so seriously love that thing!!!
From: ppnerkDELETETHIS at yahoo.com (Phred)
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:23:58 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
>I do so seriously love that thing!!!
Jesus wept! Did you notice the prices that mob want for a piccie of a bit of kitchen hardware and a lump of garlic? Bloody hell! Time I came out of retirement! [Mind you, it does look like a pretty decent garlic press. :-) ]
Cheers, Phred.
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 25 Jan 2007 14:57:31 GMT
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Phred wrote:
> Jesus wept! Did you notice the prices that mob want for a piccie of a
> bit of kitchen hardware and a lump of garlic? Bloody hell!
*Yes*........ I did see he prices....... and thought "It's a mistake...... it has to be!!"
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:48:47 -0600
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Phred wrote:
> Jesus wept! Did you notice the prices that mob want for a piccie of a
> bit of kitchen hardware and a lump of garlic? Bloody hell!
Sheeeite! I did not even look. :-)
Here, you can have mine for free, and it's a better pic imho!!!
http://i3.tinypic.com/3ycdvt1.jpg [dead link]
I inherited this one.
I found it when going thru a box of my late Aunt's stuff. :-(
And yes, it's a very EXCELLENT garlic press.
I hated presses until I met this one. It does a seriously good job with no waste.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:41:15 -0600
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Omelet said...
> I inherited this one.
> I found it when going thru a box of my late Aunt's stuff. :-(
>
> And yes, it's a very EXCELLENT garlic press.
> I hated presses until I met this one. It does a seriously good job with
> no waste.
I have an old one that has a rectangular chute and finer holes. It did a better job of juicing rather than mincing garlic.
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:27:33 -0600
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Andy wrote:
> I have an old one that has a rectangular chute and finer holes. It did a
> better job of juicing rather than mincing garlic.
I used to swear by mincing...
No longer. ;-)
From: notbob (notbob at nothome.com)
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:43:30 -0600
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Phred wrote:
> Jesus wept! Did you notice the prices that mob want for a piccie of a
> bit of kitchen hardware and a lump of garlic? Bloody hell!
Worse, looking around, a lot of their stock isn't even very good.
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:14:46 -0600
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notbob wrote:
> Worse, looking around, a lot of their stock isn't even very good.
I'm wondering if anyone is actually buying the pics.
I might have to go into business and start photographing kitchen appliances. <G>
Sell the pics for $.99 each... or a CD of, say, 1,000 pics for $100.00.
It'd be worth compiling. :-)
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 28 Jan 2007 22:13:26 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
> I might have to go into business and start photographing kitchen
> appliances. <G>
>
> Sell the pics for $.99 each... or a CD of, say, 1,000 pics for
> $100.00.
I looked at the cost of the pics when I first went in search of those images and thought "Tell him he's *dreaming*!!!"
From: Andy (q)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:43:19 -0600
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Omelet said...
>> ...meat grinder?!?
>
> It's worth a shot now that I actually have one... <G>
Grind some potatoes, eggs and onions in with your sausage recipe?
Put THAT dog on a roll!!! :)
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 23 Jan 2007 23:46:31 GMT
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What do you call one of these???
http://www.absolutestockphoto.com/photo_37804.html [dead link]
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:41:48 -0600
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Peter Lucas wrote:
> What do you call one of these???
> http://www.absolutestockphoto.com/photo_37804.html [dead link]
A lot of work...
;-)
I really do like mom's ricer!
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 24 Jan 2007 03:58:05 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
> A lot of work...
LOL!!!
If you were 6'2" with big shoulders, it's no work at all!!
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:20:16 -0600
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Peter Lucas wrote:
> If you were 6'2" with big shoulders, it's no work at all!!
5' 6". medium framed, and out of shape. <G>
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 24 Jan 2007 23:52:29 GMT
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Omelet wrote:
> 5' 6". medium framed, and out of shape. <G>
Looks like the potatos will win :-)
From: ppnerkDELETETHIS at yahoo.com (Phred)
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:49:04 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> I used two pounds of Yukon Golds. (5 medium sized, quartered). The mill is
> small so I could only mill 3 quarters at a time. Still a slow process
> cranking, back-cranking, cranking. It probably would have been easier using
> it over the flat bottomed pot rather than the teetering mixing bowl! :(
Geez, Andy, are your mashed spuds atomised? I don't have any trouble mashing the damn things with a fork, right in the saucepan, to an acceptable consistency. Mind you, I wouldn't usually be making as much as you did in this case. Probably just two medium spuds. And, to me, "acceptable consistency" doesn't mean you can pour them from a jug. ;-)
Cheers, Phred.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:43:09 -0600
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Phred said...
> Geez, Andy, are your mashed spuds atomised?
Almost! ;)
> I don't have any trouble
> mashing the damn things with a fork, right in the saucepan, to an
> acceptable consistency. Mind you, I wouldn't usually be making as
> much as you did in this case. Probably just two medium spuds. And, to
> me, "acceptable consistency" doesn't mean you can pour them from a
> jug. ;-)
Phred,
The food mill creates very light, almost airy mashed potatoes (like the ricer does). It's after I add the melted butter and cream cheese and warm milk that it all sinks down and comes together into a smooth rich consistency.
From: Peter Lucas (inbrissie at home.oz)
Date: 24 Jan 2007 12:58:40 GMT
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Andy wrote:
> The food mill creates very light, almost airy mashed potatoes (like
> the ricer does). It's after I add the melted butter and cream cheese
> and warm milk that it all sinks down and comes together into a smooth
> rich consistency.
Forget the milk, and the cream cheese.
Just add some, butter, some cream, and some cheese.
Oh!! And some roasted garlic :-)
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:21:50 -0600
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Andy wrote:
> The food mill creates very light, almost airy mashed potatoes (like the
> ricer does). It's after I add the melted butter and cream cheese and warm
> milk that it all sinks down and comes together into a smooth rich
> consistency.
Try a ricer, followed up with a wand blender. ;-)
From: James Silverton (not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:21:59 -0500
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Hello, Andy! You wrote:
> For lunch I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and for
> all the time and energy it took to hand crank them through
> the food mill, my hands are now cramping up from working
> "unworked" muscles to excess!?!
Sorry for a late reply but the usual implement around my house is an old-fashioned pastry blender (sort of loops of stiff wire attached to both ends of a handle, see https://www.kitchen-universe.com/Cuisipro-Pastry-Blender-p/74711805.htm [dead] for a picture.) I suppose you might get cramp with that too and an electric mixer does work.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 12:39:28 -0600
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James Silverton said...
> Sorry for a late reply but the usual implement around my house
> is an old-fashioned pastry blender (sort of loops of stiff wire
> attached to both ends of a handle, see
www.kitchen-universe.com
> for a picture.) I suppose you might get cramp with that too and
> an electric mixer does work.
James,
I BOUGHT one of those last year after watching a TV chef cutting cold butter into a biscuit mix. Went from the store to the junk drawer.
Mom used an electric variable speed handheld mixer with the two beaters. I remember THAT made quick work of mashed potatoes AND easy cleanup.
If I any intention of becoming a potato puff, I'd buy one. ;)
Andy
From: James Silverton (not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:56:05 -0500
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Hello, Andy! You wrote:
> Mom used an electric variable speed handheld mixer with the two beaters. I
> remember THAT made quick work of mashed potatoes AND easy cleanup.
Yes, the standard paddle on a KitchenAid works well too!
From: Nancy2 (nancy-dooley at uiowa.edu)
Date: 23 Jan 2007 13:01:00 -0800
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Andy wrote:
> If I any intention of becoming a potato puff, I'd buy one. ;)
There's nothing like a hand pastry cutter for pastry. I love mine; actually, I have a wire one (Mom's) and my own (flat bladed). Fingers warms the butter (not good) and two knives is tedious and iffy. Plus, I use the pastry cutter to dice eggs for egg salad.
From: Mr Libido Incognito (Not at vaild.null)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:05:45 GMT
--------
James Silverton wrote:
> Sorry for a late reply but the usual implement around my house
> is an old-fashioned pastry blender (sort of loops of stiff wire
> attached to both ends of a handle,
With an electric mixer you can over whip the spuds and get a snot-like substance...been there done that.
From: ~xy~ (ByRequestOnly at cyber-rights.net)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 20:46:31 GMT
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Mr Libido Incognito wrote:
> With an electric mixer you can over whip the spuds and get a snot-like
> substance...been there done that.
Ah... So you might think it's mashed potatoes, but it'snot...
From: Omelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:26:35 -0600
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~xy~ wrote:
> Ah... So you might think it's mashed potatoes, but it'snot...
<cough>
;-)