I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy, to the point that it worries my wife a little. These are a perfect accompaniment to beef of any ilk, in particular a perfectly grilled 2" thick prime ribeye.

Thanks to La452, we were reminded that the old-school russet makes an excellent mashed potato -- it's fluffy, soft and just loves to soak up butter. La452 adds sour cream and buttermilk, which give the potatoes a stroke of tanginess. And he boils the potatoes with peppercorns and garlic and leaves them in, so the mash is dotted with the soft black orbs. They're like little firebombs so if you don't like bursts of heat, crush them as you mash the potatoes.

Serves 4

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 large rosemary sprigs
3 to 5 cloves garlic (depending how big they are)

Put all the dairy in a dish and allow it to come to room temperature

Fill a large pot 2/3 full of salted water. Add the peppercorns, garlic and rosemary. Bring to a rolling boil and remove the rosemary, then add the potatoes.

Boil until the potatoes are very soft, then drain them and put them back in the pot - garlic and peppercorns and all. Let them sit and steam for about 5 minutes.

Add the dairy and mash until creamy. I use a hand masher but you could use a hand mixer as well. Serve with a steak and a big glass of good red wine!