Potatoes

hc4361 | 17:10 Sat 21st Sep 2019 | ChatterBank

16 Answers

Remember when the only potatoes you could buy were either red or white in the winter, new in the summer with a couple of glorious weeks of Jersey Mids. It meant no baked potatoes, chips or mash in the summer as the little new potatoes were no good for those until the shops had Cyrpess potatoes which did make chips but not as we knew them. Even the chippies advertised 'now frying Cyrpess potatoes'.
All the old potatoes that had been stored went to the chip shops - it wouldn't do for them to run out of chips!

Now we are bamboozled by choice all year round, so many different varieties to choose from.

So why, oh why, do farmers still grow and shops still sell potatoes that 'go' in the water?

The Upside

&£#@!;;#@&

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Mozz71

So, what you're saying is "Why do we have so much choice?"

Why not?

Buenchico

I'm not really sure what you mean by "potatoes that 'go' in the water?"

I thought 'going in the water' is something that gets you banned from the swimming pool ;-)

hc4361

Question Author

Have you never boiled potatoes, Buen? Some potatoes stay hard then suddenly you end up with a pan of potato soup at best, or cloudy white water with a couple of lumps.

Mozz71

It sounds like you're just overboiling them HC. You can boil any spud, its just that some respond better to particular cooking methods.

ummmm

Steam them, hc, they don't fall apart then.

ummmm

It's not over boiling, Mozzz, the outside is fall apart before the inside is cooked.

Mamyalynne

In these parts we call that 'lobbing off' and certain
potatoes have always done it.

I like miniature pots if I'm having boiled (skin on)

teacake44

Farmers had very bad crops last year due to the continued hot weather, and it did seem that whatever variety you bought, boiling them was a complete waste of time, unless you were hanging wallpaper. This year they have been a lot better in my area.

hc4361

Question Author

Never heard of lobbing off but it describes it beautifully :)
I do steam little baby potatoes in their skins but haven't tried steaming 'old' potatoes.

I know exactly what you mean about hanging wallpaper, the water does look like wallpaper paste :)

woofgang

those that "go" in water make the best roasties

hc4361

Question Author

If only we knew that before they went, woof :D

alavahalf

If you want spuds that dont burst when boiled.. you need to choose carefully. Avoid most large white potatoes and go for a medium sized spud with a waxy, yellowy skin. They ones I would recommend are either Charlottes or Nicola's.
Tonight we are having boiled spuds so I dug up some Nicola's this afternoon. They will not be peeled and will hold their shape and cause no problems. Tommorow we are having a roast, so I will dig something that will be white, flowery and will flake apart for roasting.

You are welcome to help yourself hc .. and feel free to load up with beans and carrots. Having a job to get rid of a glut of everything.

woofgang

hc I am truly amazed that you didn't know that. Floury potatoes "go" when you try to boil them but roast amazingly; Waxy potatoes are excellent for boiling, eating cold in salads, or slicing, boiling and then frying or doing crushed potato but don't do brilliant roasties.

Buenchico