Everybody has their favorite comfort food, and mine is mashed potatoes for three-fourths of the year (in summer, it’s a tomato sandwich or two). Mashed potatoes is not a childhood memory for me because my parents preferred rice as the starch. So, all through my 20s, I made so-so mashed potatoes, using the recipe in my starter cookbook. Finally, I learned the two secrets – cream cheese and salt! With the right amount of cream cheese and the courage to be brave with the salt, anyone has the potential to make the best mashed potatoes in the world. Actually getting to the finish line only requires selecting the right potatoes as well as a proper mashing method.

Le Cellier uses a fairly standard cream cheese recipe for its famous mashed potatoes – cream cheese (or Boursin), butter, milk, salt and pepper. There honestly aren’t a lot of places to get good, fresh mashed potatoes in Disney – most seem to have a least some dehydrated potato ingredients. So, Le Cellier’s are a standout, not only on property but well beyond.  They are considered to be a side item, and will put you back $10 per serving.

reliability of disney recipes

There are some recipes online that are purported to be those of Le Cellier’s, but I think that the portions of potatoes are off. In fact, the more carefully one follows the commonly-shared recipe, the higher the likelihood of a goopy mess. The online Le Cellier recipes call for two pounds, but this is about four large Idaho potatoes, and not nearly enough for the amount of butter and cream cheese. To me, it works better with about 3.5 pounds.  I’ve found these striking perplexities with other Disney recipes as well. It may be the result of interpreting from much larger batches.

potatoes aren’t created equally

As for the potatoes, I agree with Le Cellier’s choice of Russet for mashed potatoes. I used to think that potatoes were interchangeable, until I finally figured out why my potato salad sometimes turned into mush, and other times it didn’t (use red potatoes for potato salad).  Russet potatoes are perfect for mashing because of their consistency, and because they easily pull in the flavor of the seasonings.

This version has the same ingredients as the commonly circulated Le Cellier, with the substitution of 3.5 lbs. of potatoes instead of two, and the addition of garlic salt and chives.

ingredients

3.5 lbs. Idaho Russet potatoes
1 stick butter, unsalted
8 oz. cream cheese or Boursin
1 tablespoon sea salt
2-4 teaspoons garlic salt, added one at a time
1/2 to 3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream, warmed
coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives

directions

Wash and peel potatoes, or better yet get someone else to do this part for you because it’s a rather dull chore and can lead to day drinking. Next, cut potatoes up a bit (about 1-inch or so cubes), and put them into a pot of cold water for a swim. Throw a tablespoon or more of salt in the potato pond, and crank the heat up to high. Bring them to a boil, then turn down to a low boil or simmer until fork-tender. This takes about 15 minutes or so.

Drain potatoes and return to pan on very low heat. Add 2 teaspoons of garlic salt and the cream cheese and butter, and mash into the potatoes.  Next add 1/2 cup of the milk or cream, and whip by hand or mixer (Jean Carnahan, whom I hope to be when I grow up, eloquently makes the case for a ricer in her blog post on mashed potatoes).

Stir in the chives and pepper, and top with an extra pat or two of butter (optional). Recipe doubles easily – and it disappears quickly.

Related: Fall Forest Feasts: Applewood Salted Roasted Brussels Sprouts