SERVING POTATOES

• A pinch of green to delight the eye.
• Keep hot potatoes hot.
• Chips shouldn’t just be hot, they should be freshly made.

Sculpted and polished on the plate or a big rustic dish of cheesy potatoes on the table? Potatoes are served to guests in all imaginable forms. Some tips:

Garnish for eye candy

Potatoes are unassuming vegetables and are rarely the most attractive thing on the plate. Improve the presentation with a pinch of chopped parsley, dill or some attractive sprigs of thyme or rosemary.

Warm bowls and plates

Cold potatoes (unless they’re supposed to be cold, e.g. in potato salad) rarely make anyone happy. Always warm the serving bowls before adding the potatoes. Hot potatoes should be hot.

Serving chips

Warm, tired and mushy chips that bend in the middle are the archetypal failed dinner and failed presentation. If you can’t serve them to your guests piping hot and crisp, don’t serve them at all.