Tastless Belle de Fontenay potatoes

[Witney Mary]

First time I have grown these, on the recommendation of a Daily Telegraph gardening guru who said they were one of the tastiest spuds out. My dinner guests did not agree. Is it the season/ awful weather ???? We usually grow Winston which are wonderful

[FelixLeiter]

I must say, B de F is a variety I particularly rate. But I've always let them grow to full maturity, which at this time of the year is a state they cannot have achieved. Yours are particularly early. Too young, maybe, and therefore have not fully developed their flavour. It's a variety that is renowned for having a new potato flavour in a mature spud. But as a new potato, disappointing, clearly.

Who was this "gardening guru" of whom you speak? Do they know the ways of Potato Fu?

[Nature's Babe]

I believe feedling the soil helps the flavour too, plenty of compost / manure / seaweed etc and they all taste pretty good !

[alan refail]

I agree with Felix. Belle de Fontenay should be left till fully mature - they will not normally make over-large tubers. Then they will have an excellent taste, particularly good as cold or warm potato salad. Though quite a few years since I grew them, I can't remember ever trying them as "new" potatoes. If you can get tubers, BF15 is even more reliable and tasty than its parent.

http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/BF15%20seed%20potatoes

By the way, how did you cook them, Mary?