A Question of Taste

[Colin Miles]

Whilst musing over the question of a Technical Section I got to thinking about taste and remembered an article by Alan Romans in KG. Looking it up - March 2003 - I am reminded of the wide differences that seem to occur in potato varieties when grown in different parts of the world.

To quote Alan, 'Potatoes grown in the south of England can have 3% more dry matter than potatoes of the same variety grown in Scotland. Scotland does have longer summer day length, but light intensity and temperature are higher in the south.'

3% may not sound much, but given that potatoes in the UK vary from around 15% to 28%, in absolute terms we are talking about a 10 to 20% variation. And presumably this will much greater in countries like Australia.

Which started me thinking, if this is true of potatoes, how about other veg like tomatoes?

[jane E]

Then you have the other variables like soil type, weather in the particular season, application or not of fertilisers, watering or not, using tap water or rain water etc., etc.,. I wonder why we discuss taste at all! Then you have people like my husband who can only taste curries on a good day!

[Iain]

I offer this anecdote aware that it proves nothing:
last season, for the first time, I grew first earlies- about 10 cvs including Swift, Rocket, Maris Bard, Red Duke, Foremost, Lady C., Sharpe's Express. I grew them in bins- the standard, pre-wheelie type. They all cropped well- good-sized tubers- and I believethere was nothing wrong with my husbandry. This is the sum total of what I can say: I was able to identify the floury ones; I can say that Swift tastes of blotting paper. But that's about IT! There was next to nothing to choose between them as far as flavour is concerned, AND not one was a patch on most of the spuds my wife buys in the supermarket. How's THAT for heresy?

Iain.

[oldherbaceous]

Well Iain thats something i don't think any of us would be expecting to hear. I could understand if one or two varieties only equaled the supermarket ones for taste, but for not one of them to be a patch on most of the ones bought from the supermarket is amazing, especially for earlies.
I don't suppose you know what varieties your wife buys, so you could compare variety against variety.
I was wondering what sort of growing medium you use in your bins.
I would agree that Swift are not the best tasting potato, but still better than most bought ones.
Can you please tell us all where your wife shops and we all might start going there to buy our potatoes.
I must admit i feel quite dissapointed for you, because if theres one thing i really look forward to, is the first early potatoes.
It will be interesting to see if anyone has any answers to this for you Iain.

[Iain]

I filled the bottom (20-25% of each bin) with rough whinstone pieces about tennis ball size. I blinded this with about 4" of poor topsoil. On top of that I put a layer of about 5" of well-rotted horse dung, and on top of that I planted 4 seed potatoes. I covered them with first class topsoil mixed with about 25% potting compost. I topped them up with this as shoots grew. I sprayed foliage from time to time with a seeweed spray. I watered copiously throughout what was a dry Spring. I should say that the pink fir apple which I grew in the groung were also unexceptional. Odd.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Iain, i really don't know whats going on with your potatoes being so tasteless, especially since your pink fir apples were dissapointing too.
I have been really pleased with crop and taste of my potatoes this year, the only failure i had was with my Kestrel, when i harvested them, they were not Kestrel at all.
Will you be trying again next year.

[Iain]

Thank you for your kind sentiments,OH. I shall certainly try again! After all, Scotland has claims to be the home of the tattie. As Colin says, it'd be fascinating to investigate differences in say tomato and apple varieties grown in identical ways in different locations in the UK.
I.

[peter]

On the west coast of scotland did they use seaweed as a mulch/compost/soil improver in quite a big way.

What effect would that have on flavour?

Perhaps a bin could be treated to a bagful after a daytrip?

[Iain]

Hi Peter, Yes, and in Ireland too I believe- on their "lazy beds" which (I THINK) were raised beds that weren't dug -except incidentally to harvest the potatoes- but were mulched with seaweed, as you say. If I get the chance this season coming I'll give it a go and see what effect it has on flavour. By the way,OH,we had Estima spuds at dinner this evening. In texture very like my Red Dukes and Sharpe's but with much better flavour. Something wrong somewhere!
Iain.

[Allan]

I'm unhappy about the spuds sitting straight on FIVE INCHES of muck. I think that is the clue to the disappointing taste i.e. still too much nitrogen at one go, even though it was well-rotted. Next time find the site of an old compost heap, put the spuds on that then cover with a neutral substance as a mulch, not a feed and see what happens. When we did that out of expediency we got the best ever results until the critters moved in to eat them.
Allan

[Iain]

Right, Allan, I'll try half of them on wilted comfrey leaves this year. Thanks.

Iain.