Potato harvest is in full swing at the farm. It is one of our favorite fall tasks, bringing out the pirate kid in us as we dig for treasure. Over the next few weeks we will harvest about 5 tons of potatoes, made up of 10 different varieties. Although many potato varieties look similar to one another, each type has unique flavors and textures, which are best experienced when prepared a certain way.
White Potatoes: Kennebec
Can be round or oblong, dense in texture and mild in flavor. Potatoes in this category are popular for mashing and baking. The delicate skins eliminate the need for peeling, and they hold shape well after cooking.
Red Potatoes: Red Norland, Red Gold, Chieftain
Round and smooth potatoes, with a moist and creamy texture, and subtly sweet flavor. Red potatoes are ideal for roasting, potato salads, and use in soups. They also make some of the best "new potatoes" that we dig early in the summer.
Yellow Potatoes: German Butterball, Nicola, Yukon Gem
Medium sized potatoes with a velvety texture and a sweet, buttery flavor. Use these potatoes for roasting or grilling, to get a sweet, caramelized flavor with crispy skin. Most yellow potatoes are very versatile and can be cooked most any way. One of our favorites is German Butterball - a star potato in our Winter CSA share. It's name says it all.
Blue Potatoes: All Blue
For those that appreciate the art of vegetables, the blue potatoes round out the color spectrum. Most blue potato varieties are soft and fluffy in texture.
Fingerlings: Red Thumb, Banana, Magic Molly
Fingerlings are oblong potatoes that tend to be smaller in size, with a firm texture. They are earthy, nutty, and buttery in flavor - the best for pan-frying, and roasting. And they come in all colors - we grow a red one, a gold one and a purple one.