Gadgets and Utensils

For years I had heard that the way to get the fluffiest, lightest mashed potatoes did not involve a masher, a wooden spoon, or (shudder) a food processor. The magical tool was a food mill. Last year I finally acquired one and I can say that the stories are true; for the lightest, fluffiest potatoes, a food mill is the way to go. I am a big fan of this food mill made by OXO. It’s dishwasher-safe, which is a major bonus when you’re talking about mashed potatoes and other purées.

Of all the cooking conversions to memorize, this is one of the most useful. Learn how to convert teaspoons to tablespoons here.