The type of potato you want will depend on the texture of mash you want.
Potatoes have been cultivated in the West for the last four centuries, and have a wide variety of uses, including baking, roasting and mashing. Mashing the potato often involves the addition of milk, butter or herbs to create a common but tasty side dish.
Potatoes essentially fall into two distinct categories, those that are called baking potatoes and those that are called boiling potatoes. Both can be used for mashing, but the type of potato you wish to use will depend upon what consistency you want your mash to have. There is also a third category, which is potatoes that fall in between baking and boiling potatoes.
Baking Potatoes
Baking potatoes are high in starch and relatively low in moisture. They become light and fluffy when mashed and provide a great smooth and creamy mashed potato. Varieties of potato that fall into this category include the Russet family, Goldrush and Nadine. These are all main crop potatoes, as opposed to new potatoes, which have had less time to develop the starches.
Boiling Potatoes
Boiling potatoes are high in moisture and sugar, but are relatively low in starch. This means that they absorb less moisture when boiled, but it also means that they hold their shape when mashed. This will result in a lumpy mashed potato. Varieties in this category include Rooster, Red Pontiac and Round White.
In Between Varieties
There are a number of varieties, including Yukon Gold and Superior, which are difficult to place either in the baking or boiling categories. Some of these, such as Yukon Gold do mash well, as they contain the right balance between smooth texture and holding shape when boiled, but the flavor will not be the same as when using the baking potatoes due to the lower starch content.
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