Went to my local Asda [also my nearest shop of any kind] and fell through the floor in the fruit and vegetable section. There in golden bags was 1.5Kg of Traditional Potatoes. The bold lettering said "A distinctive old British variety" and then a big sticker proclaimed them "BRITISH QUEEN 1894 traditional flavoured potato" with a new trial price of £1.28 instead of £1.48.
I think I ran to the checkout with bag in hand and ten minutes later was boiling up two saucepans of potatoes to carry out a taste trial. I choose "King Edwards" as the second potato in the taste trial.
I cooked two potatoes of each type in their skins whole with a little salt.
Results:
King Edwards cooked quicker by five minutes [boiling time 15 mins]
British Queen cooked slower [boiling time 20mins]
King Edwards skins came away from the flesh with a little potato adhered to the skin.
British Queen skins came away from the flesh as if it were a tissue of paper with no potato adhered to the skin.
King Edwards were fluffy but stayed firm when broken with the fork
British Queen was floury, dry and crumbled into a natural mash consistency with the fork.
King Edwards taste was slightly stronger with a Baked or Roast Potato flavour.
British Queen taste was light and delicate.
Third and final part. Addition of Welsh Butter.
The King Edwards was wonderful, as I had expected them to be with the addition of a little butter.
The British Queen was out of this world. The taste with the added butter was heavenly and my taste buds sang. How the British Queen potato accelerated past the King Edwards in the butter test, I do not understand.
Conclusion:
Next year I will grow the King Edwards for roast potatoes and the British Queen for mash to go with white fish and Parsley sauce or sausage and creamy gravy.
Jax
I think I ran to the checkout with bag in hand and ten minutes later was boiling up two saucepans of potatoes to carry out a taste trial. I choose "King Edwards" as the second potato in the taste trial.
I cooked two potatoes of each type in their skins whole with a little salt.
Results:
King Edwards cooked quicker by five minutes [boiling time 15 mins]
British Queen cooked slower [boiling time 20mins]
King Edwards skins came away from the flesh with a little potato adhered to the skin.
British Queen skins came away from the flesh as if it were a tissue of paper with no potato adhered to the skin.
King Edwards were fluffy but stayed firm when broken with the fork
British Queen was floury, dry and crumbled into a natural mash consistency with the fork.
King Edwards taste was slightly stronger with a Baked or Roast Potato flavour.
British Queen taste was light and delicate.
Third and final part. Addition of Welsh Butter.
The King Edwards was wonderful, as I had expected them to be with the addition of a little butter.
The British Queen was out of this world. The taste with the added butter was heavenly and my taste buds sang. How the British Queen potato accelerated past the King Edwards in the butter test, I do not understand.
Conclusion:
Next year I will grow the King Edwards for roast potatoes and the British Queen for mash to go with white fish and Parsley sauce or sausage and creamy gravy.
Jax
Comment