It is hard for us to imagine cooking potatoes for over one hour, but kitchen equipment was much less efficient in the 19th century and who knows what varieties of potato there were? The Mercury clearly felt the need to explain this recipe in detail, despite the fact that potatoes had been in Britain for over 230 years.
“When washed or brushed clean, put them in the tin, iron, or earthen pot, and afterwards pour or pump in cold water to nearly cover them; they give out much liquid in boiling. If the potatoes be well sized, as soon as they simmer, or begin to boil, throw in some cold water, and if the root be large, repeat this till the potatoes be boiled to the core, which will take, according to their size from 30 minutes to an hour and a quarter. Without this care, they will crack and break before they are boiled through. To throw in a little salt while boiling is an improvement, and practised in Ireland; but with us salt is too dear for this use generally. To boil them slowly is the proper manner; when boiled, pour off the water, and put them again on, or by the fire, with the cover off, to evaporate the moisture; this makes them dry, floury, or mealy, and exquisite; they should be brought to table in their skins, in a cloth or damask napkin, and used at dinner as bread; at well furnished tables, a separate small potatoe plate is a neat and convenient addition.”
Stamford Mercury 3rd January, 1817.