Trivia about the Thinbread Roll's Mashed Potatoes
Since the majority of a traditional flatbread roll consists of mash, its flavor, aroma, texture, and temperature are extremely important. Good mash can elevate a mediocre flatbread roll to epic heights, just as bad mash can ruin any gourmet roll.
First, a little history...
Serving sausage with mashed potatoes has been done almost as long as there have been hot dogs in Sweden. Initially, the mash often consisted of boiled potato pieces that were then finely chopped with a knife, but it quickly developed into what we today refer to as mashed potatoes.
In the beginning, the mash was exclusively prepared at home, but with developments, it became possible to prepare it in sausage kiosks instead.
Starting in the 1950s, instant mashed potatoes began to appear, but due to a number of teething problems, it was not until sometime in the 1960s that it seriously took off.
For those interested in the history of mash, we highly recommend the slightly lyrical fantastic book "Sausage, Mash, and People" by Leif Eriksson, who has done a deep dive into this subject.
Instant Mash
The most common mash served, and what aficionados expect in a traditional flatbread roll, is instant mash. Many argue that in its simplicity, it is the type of mash that best harmonizes with the other ingredients in a traditional flatbread roll, while today's luxury and designer rolls are differently composed and thus do not require this simpler form of mash.
Homemade / Kiosk-made
In modern Sweden, it is not allowed to cook food at home and then bring it to the kiosk for sale. By "Homemade," it is usually meant that the mash is prepared at the grill kiosk and is not a pre-fabricated product.
It is important to point out that the term "homemade" or "kiosk-made" should not be used to describe improving a pre-fabricated mash with, for example, milk, butter, or spices. The expectation is that the mash is made from scratch.
Mashed, Stomped, or Crushed
The most common is that the mash consists of mashed potatoes, often mixed with butter, cream, cream cheese, or similar, and spices.
Some kiosks serve what they call "stomped mashed potatoes" (or simply "stomp"). The mashed potatoes are then a bit coarser and it is not uncommon for it to contain whole pieces of potato, which many find desirable. This is considered by many to be a delicacy.
The term "stomp" is most common in the Mälaren Valley, and is with high probability a quite modern expression.
Other kiosks serve their flatbread roll with the potato crushed directly in the roll. Usually, the bread is buttered, then the potato is placed on the bread and crushed there, after which other condiments and spices are added.
Seasoning
The most common seasonings for mash are nutmeg and/or some variant of steak or grill seasoning, but there are probably as many secret spice mixes as there are kiosks selling flatbread rolls.
Other common spices in the mash are dill, fries seasoning, black pepper, aromat, garlic powder, and allspice.
Butter and Creaminess
It is common to add butter to make the mash creamier.
Some flatbread roll enthusiasts ask for an extra dollop of butter in their mash for the extra boost it gives to the flavor experience. However, care must be taken not to end up with the kiosk dolloping in margarine instead, which sometimes and by some can be perceived as disturbing.
Fried Mash
A less common variant is to fry the mash before it is added to the flatbread roll.
French Fries
Sometimes, mash is replaced with french fries. There are also some kiosks that have luxury rolls where this is an important ingredient.
Friends of the flatbread roll consider all types of potatoes to be legitimate in a TBR, obviously including fries.
In Skaraborg, the local phenomenon "Hälta hälta" (a local expression meaning "Half and half", that is, asking for both fries and mash in the same dish) has also been embraced by TBR lovers. If the customer wants a bit more mashed potatoes than french fries, they simply add "advantage to mash". So, they would say "half and half - advantage to mash".
Quantity Theory
How much mash is appropriate in a flatbread roll is probably a very personal question. However, what can be said is that in the 1980s, it was more common for kiosks to compete with the quantity as much as the flavor of the mash.
Modern flatbread rolls, so-called gourmet rolls (also called special rolls), often have less mash than so-called traditional rolls. Gourmet rolls often contain more ingredients than the traditional roll, which can explain part of it. Another difference is that gourmet rolls are usually packaged a bit tighter than traditional rolls to make it somewhat easier to eat with all its ingredients.
Kiosks that stand out for their good mash
The following five kiosks have the best mash according to our users: