George Washington Garlic Mashed Potatoes

So did you know that by the time he became president, George Washington had lost almost all of his natural teeth? Because of constant pain constant from poor-fitting dentures, George had to eat soft foods (like seafood, mashed potatoes, and hoe cakes) throughout most of his adult life.

Contrary to popular belief, George did not wear a set of wooden dentures. Instead, a talented New York dentist named John Greenwood handcrafted his dentures from gold, lead, elephant ivory, hippopotamus tusks, and parts of horse, human, and donkey teeth.

So...if you're still searching for a delicious and nutritous "soft-food" side dish to serve at your holiday dinner this week, here is a simple recipe for Garlic Mashed Potatoes that George Washington surely would have loved:

1 head of garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold or another yellow, waxy potato)
Salt
1/3 cup cream
3 Tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the outer layer of papery skin of the whole garlic head, leaving the head itself intact. Using a paring knife, slice off the tops (1/4-inch to 1/2-inch) of the garlic cloves so they are all exposed. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic heads, salt lightly, and wrap lightly in aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft to the touch and are beginning to brown. (See our Roasted Garlic recipe). Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the garlic is roasting, peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer your potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Warm the cream and melt the butter together, either in a small pan on the stovetop or in a bowl in the microwave. Drain the pot with the potatoes and put it back on the stovetop over low heat. Put the drained potatoes back in the pot. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the potatoes and begin mashing with a potato masher or a large fork. Add the cream and butter and mash until the potatoes are the consistency you want. Do not over-beat them, or they potatoes will become gummy. Taste for salt and add some if needed.