Why it works: Butter and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 81,283 recipes. Both carry (z)-4-heptenal, which smells biscuit, cream. The science ↓
1. Baked Potatoes.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare and bake
Select new potatoes of uniform size.
Scrub the potatoes.
Place the potatoes in a shallow pan or on the oven rack.
Preheat the oven to about 450°F.
Bake the potatoes for about 45 minutes, depending on size.
Test the potatoes by pressing firmly, protecting fingers with a soft cloth or inserting a fork.
If the potatoes cannot be served at once, break the skin so the steam may escape, cover with a cloth, and keep them hot.
Fill the potatoes
Cut the potatoes in two lengthwise.
Loosen the contents of each half with a fork.
Sprinkle with salt.
Add a bit of butter.
Mash and brown
Cut the baked potatoes in two lengthwise.
Remove the contents.
Mash lightly.
Add butter or butterine, milk, and salt.
Beat the mixture well.
Replace lightly in each half shell.
Brown the tops slightly.
Notes and second bake
Par the potatoes before baking.
Preheat the oven to about 450°F.
Bake until a brown crust forms.
Large potatoes may be cut in two before baking or sliced.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Potatoes (in the method)
- Provide the bulk and starch that bakes into a soft, fluffy interior.
- Butter
- Adds richness and fat to the mashed potato filling.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and softness to the mashed potato filling.
The step that matters
Test the potatoes for doneness. Potatoes are done when they yield to firm pressure, meaning the starch has fully cooked. Underbaked potatoes stay firm and dense inside, so test before removing them from the oven.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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