Recipe Notes Adapted from Julia Child’s Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom

Ingredients

2½ pounds large russet potatoes (russets mash fluffiest)

½ cup whole milk, heated

4 to 5 tablespoons butter, or to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Place in a large pot of salted water and boil until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.

Sauté for a minute or so to allow moisture to evaporate and, with an old-fashioned potato masher, start lightly mashing. Keep the milk warmed on another burner and, little by little, add it to the mash, alternating the milk with single tablespoons of butter and tasting for consistency and butteriness. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes: Don’t over mash/whip your potatoes or they may become gummy. I increase the number of potatoes and the amount of butter according to the size of my crowd, but I’ve found that the amount of milk I use stays much the same.