Peel very thin, and drop the potatoes, cut or whole, into cold water. Leave them there for half an hour, and put over the fire in plenty of boiling, salted water. Cook until a fork penetrates the largest easily; drain and dry as directed in the last recipe, and beat up with a split spoon or two forks to a powdery heap, then mix into this a little hot milk in which a lump of butter has been melted, salt to taste, and beat to a cream. Stiff mashed potatoes are an offence to eye, taste, and stomach. Turn into a hot, deep dish, and leave the top rough. The mixture should be just firm enough to stand alone, and the more irregular the surface the better. Do not level or mould it or variegate with dabs of pepper put on with the end of the thumb.