Mashed

Potatoes

Riley Dineen
Professor Graham
10/5/23
Origin of Mashed
Potatoes
❑ The origin of mashed potatoes is elusive, with various
hypotheses postulated to explain the birth of this cherished
dish.
❑ The Andean region of South America, especially Peru, served
as the backdrop for the initial domestication of potatoes by its
indigenous inhabitants (Graumann, 2023).
❑ The Incas grew and consumed potatoes abundantly (Steele,
2015). However, their method of mashing and purpose for
doing so deviated from contemporary techniques.
❑ Hannah Glasse, the renowned English author, is often credited
for her invention of mashed potatoes. Her 18th-century
cookbook featured a recipe for this beloved staple (Supinger,
2022).
❑ Antoine Parmentier, an illustrious Frenchman of the
eighteenth century, exerted a profound influence on the
spread of potatoes (De Jong, 2016). He challenged cooks to
create new ways of preparing potatoes, and he is sometimes
even credited with inventing mashed potatoes.
 Migration to South
Carolina
European Colonization
• European settlers, largely originating from England,
colonized South Carolina.
• These settlers imported their culinary practices, including
dishes as mashed potatoes.
• The colonies were introduced to potatoes and a variety of
other crops and sustenance during this period.
African Influences
• African enslaved people, relocated to South Carolina and
immensely impacted the regional culinary heritage (Joy
2020).
• The preparation and seasoning of mashed potatoes in the
region may have been impacted by African cooking
techniques and flavor profiles.
Native American Influence
• Native American tribes, such as the Catawba and Cherokee,
inhabited the region before European colonization.
• These indigenous cultures had their own culinary practices,
including the cultivation and consumption of potatoes.
• The exchange of food knowledge between Native
Americans and European settlers could have influenced the
integration of mashed potatoes into local cuisine.
Migration Pattern
 Cultural Symbols
❑ Mashed potatoes have a substantial cultural signification in
Ireland (Ferriter, 2010), It has attained symbolic value as a
means of endurance during the Irish famine.

❑ Mashed potatoes engender comfort, nostalgia, and

emotional serenity, embodying a sense of warmth.

❑ In the US, mashed potatoes continue to play a significant role

in culinary tradition, functioning as both comfort food on
regular basis and a meal to celebrate special events (Larchet,
2022). Mash potatoes have won enduring admiration since
they were first popular as a Thanksgiving side dish in the
United States.

❑ Mashed potatoes unite people around the dining table,

symbolizing communion, solidarity, and culinary pleasure.
Why I love Mashed
Potatoes
❑ The soft textures of mashed potatoes create nostalgic memories of
home-cooked meals and family warmth, stirring feelings of comfort and
contentment.

❑ For a wide range of main courses, mashed potatoes provide a flexible

complement. They complement meat, vegetables, and sauces well,
making them a flavorful and lively addition to any meal.

❑ The creamy, smooth texture of mashed potatoes offers a pleasing

sensation on the palate.

❑ There are opportunities for customization and creativity with mashed

potatoes. They may be made more flavorful by adding ingredients like
butter, cream, cheese, garlic, herbs, or spices, allowing one to adjust the
taste to their own preferences.

❑ Their ubiquity on restaurant menus and prevalence in home-cooked

meals render mashed potatoes both well-known and easily accessible to
the majority.
 References
• De Jong, H. (2016). Impact of the potato on society. American Journal of Potato Research, 93(5), 415–429.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-016-9529-1
• Ferriter, D. (2010). The transformation of Ireland 1900-2000. Profile Books.
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=lXa7m8wG84MC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Mashed+potatoes+hold+significa
nt+cultural+symbolism+in+Ireland.+They+are+associated+with+the+Irish+famine+and+became+a+symbol+of+survival+a
nd+resilience.&ots=gtcm97GgPd&sig=mRHGKbmtZH5V_xWyT7OObl5i-U8
• Graumann, M. L. (2023). Agricultural origins: A comparative analysis of the physical & cultural consequences arising from
the introduction of agriculture into prehistoric South America and the Island of Ireland. COMPASS, 3(1), 77–88.
https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/compass/index.php/compass/article/view/63
• Joy, B. (2020). Transforming foodways: Changes in diet, procurement, consumption, and access for laborers on the Stono
Plantation, James Island, South Carolina. Journal of African Diaspora Archaeology and Heritage, 9(2), 171–214.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21619441.2021.1923307
• Larchet, N. (2022). The intimate politics of soul food: On the tastes and distastes of a New Orleans Black middle-class
family. Politique Américaine, 2, 113–140.
• Steele, H. (2015). Spuds! Potatoes and change in the English Language.
http://scholars.indstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10484/1074/ec-20000831.txt?sequence=1
• Supinger, L. A. (2022). The worth of a plate: 18th century women and environmental pressures placed on them through
food [PhD Thesis, Southern New Hampshire University].
https://search.proquest.com/openview/6ced65ba77f29c368371a97022a437cf/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=
y