Vitelotte potatoes

[meteor]

I have just harvested my first ever sowing of Vitelotte potatoes. I bought 6 tubers on ebay and planted them back in April, they were slow growing but well worth the wait. A heritage French variety from the early 19th century with long oval tubers that have dark purple skin and flesh with a waxy texture and mild nutty flavour, the colour does not fade with cooking.I found this a little off putting until my first bite, a real gourmet delicacy. On the down side they seem to be low yielding so one more meal only the rest I'll keep as seed for next year.
Along with the Federle tomatoes these are my "find" of 2014, I highly recommend

[rana]

I tried Vitelotte last year. I also found the yield low and included many undersized tubers. The flavour didn't excite and I found they readily overcooked to a mushy consistency. Fun as a novelty but no great reward for the space they take up. Apparently they are good for health.

[meteor]

The reason I sought them out was for health reasons after been advised by doctors to include dark coloured veg in my diet. However I found them quite the opposite, tasty and easy to cook.

[poly]

I liked Violette too, I've grown them a few times and as already mentioned found them late to crop with a low yield, though the taste is good. Being so late I found L. Blight infected before they had a chance to set a good crop.

I quite like Purple Majesty, fair taste and crop. I grew Violetta this year, which have been good. They are really quite early to make tubers and boil nicely. Not sure about mash or baked yet.

[meteor]

I also grew Shetland blue, I have not tried them yet, and blue danube which although a sarpo variety got blight so I cut the haulms down, I have not tried these tubers either( hoping there is some under the soil). These were the only three black/blue varieties I could find. I hope to find more next season.

[poly]

I liked Shetland Blue when I grew it, nice taste but a bit on the floury side for me. Blue Danube, I found that too, doesn't have the same L.Blight resistance as some of the Sárpo varieties. Quite a nice potato, again a floury type and good for roasties and jackets, it's just the skin that is blue on them though, the flesh is white.

I'm not sure there are many more types of 'blue' potatoes available to buy in the UK, might be different in Ireland? Blue Congo is one. Growing your own from true potato seed might be one way of increasing your choices