Potato varieties: Which potatoes to choose for cooking – planting, care, photos, how to grow and harvest

Content:

• interesting facts about potatoes
• potato varieties description
• helpful tips

Interesting Potato Facts

There are over 4,000 different potato varieties, which differ in early maturity, starch content, taste, aroma and other parameters. When choosing a variety for cooking, you should know some facts:

• People often consider it a staple food and the number one vegetable in the world. It is available all year round. It is eaten in large quantities, whether it is mashed potatoes baked in the oven (potatoes in foil with bacon in the oven) or fried potatoes. Due to its neutral starchy taste, it is suitable as a side dish for other dishes.
• Tubers contain everything that is needed for normal human life. They consist mainly of water and starch (different varieties contain different ratios). Besides, potatoes – good vitamin source B6 and potassium, as well as copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, nicotinic acid, dietary fiber and pantothenic acid. Tubers are also a storehouse of various phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. These are carotenoids, flavonoids and caffeic acid.
• Starch content in tubers varies between 10% and 25% and directly affects the taste.
• The botanical name is Solanum tuberosum. The word Solanum comes from a Latin word which means ‘calming’. Name potatoes also reflects the fact that it belongs to the nightshade family, which also includes eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
• According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest tuber reached 3.2 kg.
• Peel, as a rule, has a brown, red or yellow color and can be smooth or rough, and the flesh, in turn, is yellow or white. Can buy other potato varietieswhich are distinguished by a purple-gray skin and beautiful deep purple flesh.

Potato varieties description

The best varieties of potatoes. Very hard to choose best varieties of potatoes, because it all depends on how exactly you plan to use your potatoes. Some varieties are suitable for puree, but absolutely not suitable for other dishes. We will help you understand the varieties depending on the destination.

Want to do salad? Then follows buy varieties Carrera and Sifra. If you are a lover fries – select variety Carreraa for puree suitable varieties of potatoes Žuravinka and Adretta. We recommend you the types and varieties of potatoes that best show their beneficial properties in the preparation of specific dishes.

All table varieties can be conditionally divided into 4 types. Here’s what it looks like classification of potato varieties by culinary type:

• Type A – varieties salad type with dense pulp, not boiled soft, highly watery and low in starch. They are suitable for salads, frying and barbecuing. Varieties: Sifra, Rumba, Carrera, Aladdin, Annushka.
• Type B – universal varieties, with moderately firm flesh, slight flouriness and moderate wateriness. Slightly boil. At the end of cooking, the pulp becomes brittle, and when frying, it is soft inside and with a crispy crust. They are made from them French fries, chips and soups. Ideal for stewing and cooking a variety of dishes. Varieties: Rumba, Carrera, Aladdin, Red Scarlet, Sante.
• Type C – with soft pulp, medium flouriness, strongly boiled tubers. Contain more starch than Type A and Type B. Used for making purees and startersto, as well as for baking. Varieties: Vector, Zhuravinka, Adretta.
• Type D – fully boiled tubers. They are soft in texture, very mealy and not watery. Varieties: Synthesis, Temp.

Universal dishes can be prepared from varieties of potatoes gala. It is ideal for stews, soups and also salads. This is one of the best varieties German selection, which is now grown in many countries. It grows well on different soils, adapts to any conditions and climate.

If you are not sure which what type of potato do you haveyou can do small test. Cut the tuber crosswise into two halves and rub them quickly. If water appears between the halves, then it is type A. When both halves stick to each other, then the potato is type C and D.

Popular varieties of potatoes photo:

Potato Mozart:

Sort Carrera:

Red Scarlett:

Helpful Hints

Peel is concentrated source of dietary fiber. So, to get the most nutritional value out of this vegetable, don’t peel it, but cook it with the skin on. Simply wash potatoes under cold running water right before cooking, then remove any eyes or damage.

If you need to clean the tubers, then remove only a thin layer peel. So you can save the nutrients that are hidden under it.

tubers should be cleaned and cut right before cooking to avoid discoloration that occurs when exposed to air. If you can’t cook it right after cleaning, place it in a bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice added beforehand. This will keep the flesh from browning and also help keep its shape during cooking.

Potatoes also sensitive to certain metals (discolored). Therefore, avoid cooking it in iron or aluminum pans and do not use slicing knife made of carbon steel.

Published: 17.11.2016