10 Reasons to Embrace Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
The secret ingredient for more than you know
In my country, and perhaps yours too, there is a societal tradition where large numbers of its youth leave their family home for work or university after finishing high school, and move into a house — often cold, damp, miles away, and with several strangers — where hijinks will inevitably ensue. During my time in such a dwelling, a simple and affordable comfort was instant mashed potato, usually eaten from a coffee mug, with as much butter as I could force each reconstituted potato flake to absorb. A decade later, working round the clock for a bartender’s pitiful wage and with landlords who saw my every rent payment as a handy reminder to cheerfully raise the price — I found myself turning once more to those instant mashed potato flakes.
Without wanting to romanticize the increasing hardship and exhaustion which made it a major part of my diet, I’d like to celebrate the lowly package of instant mashed potato and its surprising culinary versatility. Mashed potato is a classic comfort food — I prefer mine with lots of olive oil and a scattering of nutmeg — and knowing it is mere moments away at all times is in itself, a soothing notion. Beyond its intended form, however, there are numerous ways to use instant mashed potato flakes in the kitchen — here are 10 of…
