Subject: Re: Saratoga Potatoes
From: Mary
Date: 10/20/2018 3:22 PM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
On 10/20/2018 9:10 AM, Mary wrote:
Many years ago I had a recipe for potatoes sliced and simmered in milk/cream for a
very long time. (Hours). The title had Saratoga and mentioned New York....
It was great however I cannot find the cookbook that it was in, I think it was one
of the “old time recipe books”. Does this sound familiar to you?
Thank you
Mary
Hello Mary,
Occasionally I get a recipe request with a description that just doesn't match up
with anything that I know or or anything that I can find. This seems to be the case
with your request.
The only potato recipes that I know of or that I found that are called "Saratoga
potatoes" are recipes for potato chips and a U.S. Army recipe. Potato chips were
originally called "Saratoga potatoes" or "Saratoga chips." The U.S. Army recipe
is an old one. See the first recipe below. Potatoes are diced and boiled, then
fried, then mixed with parsley and onions and a quart of milk, then thickened
with flour. There is also something called "Syracuse Potatoes", which are whole
potatoes boiled in salted water. There might be a recipe associated with another
city in New York or a restaurant in New York, but I could not find one that fit
your description. Nothing that mentioned "New York."
When you say it was in "one of the 'old time recipe books,'" I'm not sure if you
mean one of a series of cookbooks titled "Old Time Recipes" or if you mean it
generally as just an old cookbook.
I tried dropping the Saratoga and New York references and just searched for a
recipe that fit your description of "potatoes sliced and simmered in milk/cream
for a very long time. (hours)." I suppose it might be a scalloped potatoes recipe,
but simmering for hours doesn't seem right fot that dish. The closest recipe that
I could find to your description is the "Countryside Creamed Potatoes" recipe below,
but the potatoes are only simmered for 30 minutes, not hours. The only recipes that
I can find in which the potatoes are simmered for hours are recipes for mashed
potatoes or recipes in which the potatoes are mashed with cream added (creamed potatoes),
or recipes for potato soup. You don't mention any mashing or anything about soup.
Mary, anytime you simmer sliced potatoes for hours, whether in milk, cream, or
water, I think you are going to end up with something close to soup. I did look
for potato soup recipes that mentioned "Saratoga" or "New York", but I had no
luck finding anything that seemed to fit. I need more information to make any sort
of a connection.
Phaed
Saratoga Potatoes
from: "Recipes Used in the Cooking Schools, U.S. Army"
By United States Army
Dice potatoes raw, boil them until done, then drain
and set away and let cool. When cool fry in butter or
lard until nice and brown. Add parsley and onions,
1 quart rich milk. Thicken with 1/4 pound flour.
Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Countryside Creamed Potatoes
2 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. milk
5 med. potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Melt butter in a medium-size heavy skillet. Add cream and milk.
Heat, do not boil. Slip the potato slices into the hot cream,
one at a time, until evenly distributed. The liquid should barely
cover the potatoes. Season with half the salt and pepper. Simmer
for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes carefully. Season with remaining
salt and pepper; simmer for 30 minutes more. Serves 4.
==================================================================
Thank you for checking on this for me. I evidently have something
mixed-up if you can't find it!
I remember it was in a cookbook, I don't remember the name, but it
was all very old recipes, and it gave a little history of each.
Again thank you very much!
Mary
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Subject: "New York Potatoes"
From: Diane
Date: 2/24/2019, 12:46 AM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Dear Uncle Phaedrus,
Regarding the request from Mary 10/23/18 http://hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/m1023ta18.htm :
In The American Woman's Cookbook (earliest copyright 1938) on page 411 is a recipe for creamed potatoes.
Creamed Potatoes
2 cups diced cold cooked potatoes
1 1/2 cups medium white sauce
salt and pepper
Combine potatoes and white sauce and heat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.
Or use milk instead of white sauce. Dice potatoes into skillet in which 2 tablespoons of butter
have been melted. Season with salt and pepper and almost cover with milk. Simmer, uncovered until
milk is absorbed, tilting pan occasionally and basting top of potatoes with milk.
This is very close to what you found and the only reason I'm sending you this is because on the
facing page, 410, is a recipe for Saratoga Potatoes and that caught my attention. On the off-chance
it's the same book that might account for the name (transposing)? This book does not have the
history of each recipe, but they could be classified as 'very old', I suppose, old being a relative
thing.
It's an unlikely match but in any event I'm happy to tell you of the cookbook. My grandmother
'cooked from the hip' and only had one cookbook and this was it. Her copy, sadly, got caught up
in family drama after she passed and I never saw it again. My very DH surprised me with a newer
printing and I treasure it. You've probably got your own copy but in case you don't, it' a good
one for 'old time recipes'.
How good of you to spend so much time helping people find their memories.
Best,
Diane
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