With as tasteless as "fresh" taters have been lately I like instant more and more. Big fan of the Idahoan brand butter and herb flavor. Still prefer the texture of the real thing though. What I have done lately is make real mashed potatoes. Mix on the wet side then add the instant til I get the consistency I want. Get perfect seasoned mashed potatoes that feel like real mashed potatoes in your mouth and taste like something.
Other thing that has helped with the flavor is baking the potatoes instead of boiling. I bake them real hot so I get nice crispy skin. Peel them while they are still hot and the skins come right off. The skin will usually come off in one piece if it crispy. Also makes a great snack while your mashing the taters.
