While potatoes don't have much flavor by themselves, they are fantastic at soaking up the flavors they're cooked with, and can take on a variety of textures from crispy to creamy depending on the cooking method you use.
Raspberry
A waxy variety with vibrant red skin and deep red flesh that retains its color when cooked. It has a smooth, creamy texture and a rich, earthy flavor with subtle sweetness. Its firm structure makes it ideal for roasting, grilling, and pan-frying, while its bold color adds visual appeal to potato salads and gratins.
Amarosa
An all-purpose fingerling potato with vibrant red skin and deep red flesh that retains its color when cooked. It has a smooth, moist texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavor, making it perfect for roasting, frying, and vibrant potato salads. They even retain their vibrant color when cooked, so consider using them to make beautiful chips.
White Ozette
A waxy, nutty-flavored fingerling potato with a firm, almost wax candle-like texture. Its creamy white flesh stays intact when boiled or roasted, making it ideal for salads and pan-frying. The heirloom variety has a slightly sweeter, more complex taste than standard white potatoes.
Red Ozette
A firm, waxy potato with a nutty, slightly earthy flavor and dense texture. Its red skin and yellow flesh hold up well in roasting and boiling, making it a great choice for rustic potato dishes and salads. The heirloom variety offers a unique depth of flavor compared to common red potatoes.
German Butterball
A rich, buttery-flavored all-purpose potato with a smooth, dense texture. Its golden flesh is slightly waxy yet creamy, making it perfect for roasting, frying, and gratins while still working well for mashing.
Dark Red Norland
A waxy potato with firm, moist flesh and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Its thin, deep red skin and creamy texture make it ideal for boiling, roasting, and potato salads. It holds its shape well, resisting mushiness when cooked.
Yukon Gold
A versatile all-purpose potato with a buttery flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. It has medium starch content, making it excellent for mashing, roasting, and frying while still holding its shape in soups and stews.
Blackberry
This variety has a black skin and deep purple flesh, with a mild and slightly tangy flavor. It is a medium-starch potato, similar to Yukon Golds, which means it holds its shape well when cooked. It is good for roasting, grilling, or making hash browns.
Purple Majesty
This variety has a purple skin and a purple flesh, with a rich and slightly bitter flavor. It is a waxy (low-starch) potato, which means it is firm and moist when cooked. It is good for boiling, steaming, or making soups, casseroles, or potato salad.
Charlotte
Charlotte: This variety has a yellow skin and a white flesh, with a delicate and slightly sweet flavor. It is a waxy (low-starch) potato, which means it is firm and moist when cooked. It is good for boiling, steaming, or making soups, casseroles, or potato salad.
Adirondack Red
This variety has a red skin and a pink flesh, with a nutty and earthy flavor. It is a waxy (low-starch) potato, which means it is firm and moist when cooked. It is good for boiling, steaming, or making soups, casseroles, or potato salad.
Hucklberry Gold
This variant of the classic Yukon Gold has a purple skin and a yellow flesh, with a creamy and buttery flavor. It is a medium-starch potato, which means it holds its shape well when cooked. It is good for roasting, mashing, or making salads.
Potatoes are a nutrient-dense complex carbohydrate that can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. However, the way you prepare and eat potatoes can affect their nutritional value and health effects. For example, frying potatoes can add extra calories and fat, while peeling potatoes can reduce their fiber and vitamin content.
Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food that can be transformed into countless delicious dishes with just a little heat and creativity. They come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, and can range in consistency from waxy to starchy. Each variety of potato is a little unique which will determined what cooking method suits them best.
Potatoes are the ideal candidate for storing in a root cellar, but not many modern homes have those. In lieu of a root cellar, look for a cool, dry, dark place to store them. Don't wash them until you're ready to use them, as the moisture will cause them to spoil. Also, avoid direct sunlight as this will trigger chlorophyll-making (this is when your potatoes start to turn green) and cause the development of solanine, which can cause digestive issues. Also, keep them away from other produce that produces ethylene gas, such as onions, apples, and bananas, as this will cause them to spoil faster.
And never, ever store your potatoes in the fridge! The cold temperatures will convert the starches into sugars resulting in an oddly sweet spud.
The shelf life on potatoes is pretty long, but there are several ways that you can store them to extend that life and make using them even easier:
Po-ta-toes! Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew! There are so many ways to cook potatoes, depending on the type of potato and the desired texture and flavor. Some of the best cooking methods for potatoes are:
Potatoes are essentially a blank canvas for you to build the flavor of your dish upon, so they basically pair well with anything. Here are some of the classic parings to consider: