Hey spud fans, dig this!

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by Guido the Gardener

To quote one of my favorite guys that I never heard of before, Sir John Sinclair, "There is no species of human food that can be consumed in a greater variety of modes than ..." (fill in the blank) A) corn; B) tomatoes; C) Hostess Ho Hos/Ding Dongs; D) potatoes.
    ALthough corn sounds logical, and during my single guy days, I did much experimenting with Ho Hos/Ding Dongs, the correct answer is potatoes. This is as true today as it was back in 1828 when Sir John stated his potato position.
    The potato has a very long history, like maybe about 6,000 years long! They probably originated in the Andes of Peru where they pretty much had the vegetable garden to themselves at elevations of up to 15, 000 feet.
    From South America, potatoes spread to Europe via the sea-going explorers of the early 1500s. And although there is some evidence that spuds were previously introduced to the U.S., they really didn't catch on here until the early 1700s. That is when some newly arrived Irish folks, laden with a stash of spuds, settled in New Engleand. Potato growing and eating caught on quickly after that.
    Although oftentimes they are treated as a root vegetable, they are actually a tuber. Let me take this from the top. Potatoes beget potatoes. You plant one, you get many! The plant is started with what is called a "seed potato," a high-quality disease-free potato starter kit.
    When planted, it will send up a shoot which develops into a beautiful green leafy plant featuring flowers of many colors -- white, purple, pink or yellow. This greenery looks similar to its botanical kin, the tomato.
    Below ground, there will be a ball of roots just like any other plant. Now separate from the roots is another system of undergound stems that the potatoes are attached to. All the energy and nutrients gathered by the leaves and roots are fed to the spuds via these stems. When the plant starts to die off, that is a signal that the tubers are ready for harvest.
    Is anyone wondering if you can plant your store-bought spuds and get a backyard crop? Well, I plant organic store-bought reds, whites, and others and get good harvests. Organic potatoes are not sprayed with sprout inhibitors, so they will sporut and grow. I have never planted store-bought conventionally grown potatoes, so I really don't know.
    Which brings us to our topic for todaaaaaaaaaaay! The fresh dug California crop is ready for mass consuption. These are literally NEW potatoes, which are being grown in the Bakersfield area. Many times the term "new potato" is tagged onto any small red or white spud, any time of the year. But that ain't necessarily so.
    When a potato comes out of the ground, it has a very thin skin, a high level of sugar and a low amount of starch. That is when it will taste fresher and make your mouth happier. It will also have a higher water content which will make them cook quicker. As time passes, the sugar/starch situation reverses itself. And so does everything else.
    The most common of the non-Russet type is the red potato, of which there are many different varieties, and the whites, ususally a White Rose variety. These are characterized by a waxy texture and a smooth, thin skin. There really is a flavor difference between the tired looking, has-beens in the potato bin and the vibrant newcomers.
    And speaking of newcomers -- the Yukon Gold is an early maturing potato that was developed in Canada and introduced in 1980. It has the same texture as a red or white but the yellow flesh tastes as if the butter is already on it. Very fine flavor. If you have not yet sampled this spud, now is the time to gently place some in your basket.
    When selecting fresh-dug potatoes, do not be turned off by some discoloration. The skins are so thin that just the transporation from Bakersfield to the retail stand will cause some peeling. The uncovered flesh will quickly discolor ... pay no mind. If they were in storage for months prior to sale, the skins would be so thick you'd need a machete to peel them!
    Also look for the Norkotah Russets that are being dug right now. They are an early version of Burbank Russets that come out later in the spud season.
    The fresh season lasts through July, but don't wait that long.

Copyright © 1996 Mark Ferro
All Rights Reserved

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