Beginners Tip #1

So for all you beginners out there that are just getting the courage to step foot in the kitchen, yes you as well Candice, these tips will hopefully help you out.
Me being that of Ukrainian/Russian descent, I've peeled, cooked and mashed more potatoes in my life than any person ever should. So if you find yourself asking "How in the world do I boil potatoes and know when they're done" , keep reading.

Beginners tip #1 : Boiling potatoes.

Depending on what kind of potatoes you're looking to boil, whether it be young red, young white, russet, or just regular Idaho potatoes, one thing to keep in mind is : if they're raw inside, they will in fact taste horrible.
Normal cooking time for a whole potato that is medium in size would be 20 minutes. If it's in quarters, possibly 15 minutes. Do not over cook. When you see your potato falling apart and it's little components of whatever make up a potato floating around in the water thus creating a very cloudy pot of water, you have officially killed your potatoes. Congratulations.
Keep a sharp knife, without edges, near your pot of boiling water with potatoes inside. When you think they are in fact cooked, poke the knife through the very middle of the potato and if it goes in with ease, you're safe. If not, keep boiling.
For certain recipes including potatoes, such as mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes in butter, you can cut them into smaller pieces and boil them then. Which will require less time for you to be standing over the pot and staring at the standstill of water looking back at you.
If you are boiling potatoes to make some mashed potato puree, cut the potatoes into quarters. Which basically means you cut one potato in half and then cut that half in half as well.
If you are boiling potatoes to make garlic butter potatoes, cut them into 8's. Which basically means you keep cutting the potato in half and the halves in half until you have 8 pieces total out of each potato.
It's not rocket-science and I assure you, you will get the hang of it. Just please watch where you put your pretty fingers. No one likes bloody potatoes.



Keep in mind : for certain things, you will be required to peel the potatoes before cooking them. We do not live in the old days, so do not attempt doing so with a regular knife, especially not a butter knife. You will not get far with that. If you do not yet own a potato peeler, I suggest you go out and purchase one, right now!


If at first you don't succeed, don't give up. Just toss those babies in the trash and try again.