Suri’s personal favourite, although no-one else ever seems too fond of it. The recipe was her grandmother’s. The flavour is much improved if it’s made a day in advance, and then left to sit overnight.

3 large baking potatoes
1 large white onion
1 stick butter
water
3 cups milk
celery salt

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into half-inch chunks. Chop the onion coarsely.

2. Put the potatoes and onion into a pot with just enough water to cover them. Salt them rather heavily with celery salt.

3. Boil uncovered until the potatoes are cooked (about ten minutes or so). The water should be turning thick and sort of starchy, and losing volume.

4. Using a ladle, mash the potatoes partway. Don’t do a terribly thorough job – you want some chunks left.

5. Add the milk and butter, and stir it all up. Heat the soup until the butter has all melted. Be careful not to overheat or you’ll scorch the milk.

6. Best served with a little pat of butter melting in it, and s’more celery salt (or celery seed).

(Recipe originally typed out for a Spindizzy cookbook in 2002 that came to naught.)