One Potato, Two Potato...

Have you ever experienced a newly dug potato? The flavor and the texture are amazing – earthy, creamy, and fresh. On our little farm, we grow a lot of potatoes. Last year, our favorite variety was the fingerling.  This year, we tried a few new varieties.  Here are four of the potatoes that we grow:

Check out the insides of these beauties!

We harvested our first potatoes of the season this weekend. I could not wait to taste them, so I chose a quick technique – roasting. I couldn't decide which variety to use, so I used all four! I cubed them and coated with kosher salt, black pepper, chopped garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, and a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

They roasted on a sheet pan lined with foil at 425 for about 35 minutes. Multicolored, crispy, potato perfection! The contrast is stunning, and so is the taste. Each variety imparts a unique flavor - Andirondack Red is earthly and smooth, Irish Cobbler has a mineral clean taste, Augusta is super creamy like a Yukon Gold, and Magic Molly, well, the name says it all! This variety is peppery and soaks up the garlic and herbs more than any other.

They were so good, in fact, I was inspired to make more potato creations. My first attempt at potato salad was a flop, as a certain one year old was less than cooperative at bed time, and I overcooked the potatoes into mush. Simple fix - mashed potatoes for dinner, and potato patties for breakfast. Just form the mashed potatoes into patties and coat with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.  Fry them in extra virgin olive oil until they are crispy on both sides. Serve with dill and sour cream.

My second attempt at potato salad was a success.  I like a lighter potato salad, with white vinegar, Dijon mustard, and lots of dill. I used this recipe, went a little lighter on the mayo and more liberal on the vinegar, skipped the celery, replaced the fresh dill with dry, and added chopped garlic. 

Next on my list? French fries, hash browns, and scalloped potatoes.  Our CSA members will be enjoying our potatoes for the rest of the season.  If you're local, stop by our farm stand to pick up a quart. If not, there's surely a farmer in your area growing varieties that they will love to tell you all about!