When boiling potatoes, it is best to leave the skin on while cooking--the potato will retain more nutrients and flavor. Skins can be removed as soon as the potato is cool enough to hold. Potatoes should be scrubbed before boiling, rather than soaked. Soaking potatoes in water can sap nutrients and flavor. To enrich the flavor of potatoes boil them in a favorite stock, or for a mild, sweet taste, boil in milk. Potatoes boiled in milk should be peeled thinly when cooled. To prevent potatoes from discoloration after cooking, add a touch of lemon juice to the water.

Potatoes should be placed in the cooking water before it is heated. An alternate method is to place fresh potatoes in salted, already--boiling water. Steaming is another popular cooking method that has a similar effect to boiling, but the potato tends to retain more nutrients when steamed because it is not immersed in water, though boiled potatoes do retain more vitamin C. Seasonings of various kinds can be added to the water while steaming potatoes to give them a unique flavor.