Re potato yields v flavour

[Demeter]

I have just been reading this web page
Potato Varieties, What to Grow For Flavour, boiling, baking, roasting, chipping, mashing, salad

It has a table with recommendations of what varieties to grow for what kind of cooking method - answers my questions about what to grow for roasties next year

Whether it's the "right" answer is a different question, but at least gives me a starting point in choosing what to get. Wondered what others thought of the various recommendations on that page?

[tomsloc]

Hi Demeter,it`s a starting point but it doesn`t tell you what makes the best roasters etc.This is a little bit subjective anyway but I think it`s interesting to get other peoples ideas because other peole have tried varieties that I`ve never eaten.

[rob the roller]

I don't recognise the name, so can't give you any suggestions as to how to cook.

About four years ago I bought a packet of seed potatoes from B & Q labelled Desiree. They were red but they weren't Desiree. I still have no idea what they were. After a lot of disappointments I found the best way to cook them was to bake them until soft (twice if necessary) and then fry them as wedges. Recommend you try different methods (baking, boiling, chipping etc) until you find one suited to the variety.

[piskieinboots]

they aren't meant to be boiled: they're best for roasting, mashing, baking and for chips, apparently.

I love you TS I really love you - I just roasted some of the blighters for supper Oh My.....wonderful

[Lurch]

Just harvested 1lb 7 ounce of potatoes, first ever crop. thought that was pretty good. (Just one plant)

[realfood]

I microwave most of my potatoes in a covered container for fantastic, tasty results, especially for floury potatoes.

[sewer rat]

not nice boiled at all.

British Queen need to be steamed - much better for both you and the tattie - they are lovely when steamed. I grew them in my garden two years ago after a thread on here discussed various favourite varieties and they did not disappoint.

As for best roastie's - Rooster, Rooster and Rooster, oh yeah, did I mention that Rooster are superb when roasted !

[Paulottie]

I guess I should have planted some Rooster for roasties then? Goy King Edward and Desiree for roasting and chips.

[Flummery]

Rooster are great for the old Lancashire favourite, meat and potato pie, because they are soft and floury and the flesh falls into a thick sauce for the pie. Made one last night. Still drooling!

[Two_Sheds]

here's another site with lots of different potato varieties to try: Aylett Nurseries - Seed Potatoes - www.aylettnurseries.co.uk

[tomsloc]

Interesting varieties at Ayletts

[SarzWix]

I've just come across this thread again, quite a good one for the "which potato?" question...
How many of the original poster's have remembered which varieties they said they were having this year?

[tomsloc]

which varieties of potato have you planted

I planted ,pentland javelin,arran pilot,lady christl (early) and desiree and belle de fontenay (maincrop) what has everyone else planted ?

[King Carrot]

I wonder if the taste/textur vaies with soil type and location in the country. I've grown pentalnd javelins for the last two years cos everyone said they were great. They seem watery to me and fall apart on cooking. Last year I thought it was the wet weather that did it but they've used up all their chances now Charlotte and Maris peer were much better.

I reckon soil, fertilizer,sunshine etc. and location must have a lot of bearing on taste, I would guess the more water the more bulk and the less taste.

I've grown Orla the last couple of years and alot of people here have raved about the taste - mind you we do get especially poor potatoes in the supermarkets and shops here for some reason.

[Snadger]

I think that because tatties are a staple diet they ain't supposed to have much taste and should bring a blandness to the meal to compliment other veg and meat rather than overshadow them.
Having said that different varieties are better suited to various types of cooking!