Kitchen Garden Forum

I get my potatoes from Gordon Riggs in the January sale. I grow Rocket as first earlies which I admit are not best for taste but they are first earlies. I follow them with Charlotte (annoyingly GR haven't had these in stock in January the last two years) and Maris Piper.

This year, T&M sent 20 Ulster Sceptre (first early) as a freebie, but they are not ready yet, of course. We'll see what they are like for taste.
We have only just finished our own potatoes from last year and I feel quite guilty having to shop for potatoes. I never buy "new potatoes", though, because that would spoil the thrill of eating our own new potatoes.

I was planning to try my Maris Bard next Sunday (June 1st), but couldn't resist the urge to dig some yesterday - eight and a half weeks in the ground and flowering.

Cooked whole and served with a bit of chopped mint and a lot of Welsh butter (= 3.2% salt) - an absolutely perfect new potato - bendigedig! - wonderful!

I'm sure they will be even better when they are a week or two more mature.

A satisfied Alan

Dear Alan, i'm so pleased that you were pleased.

Hi Alan Our went in in April and are well up but not flowering. I must go and see what date we planted them. We will try and plant sooner next year but our plot was very wet earlier and we had difficulty getting on to plant.

If you want to see lots of potato Varieties, look at this site!

www.dundrynurseries.co.uk

They have, not just advertise, in season about 150 varieties.

They will sell one potato or a 25 kg sack.

Cost per 3kgs is £3.65,£4.25, £4.65 to £4.95 depending on the variety.

Anya costs £1.65 for 1kg or £4.65 for 3kgs, but not everyone likes salad potatoes!

Cheers

Hello Alan

We have yet to lift ours, I'm glad you enjoyed your Maris Bard.

Barney

Hi Alan,
Like Barney I am glad that you enjoyed the Maris Bard. Mine are some time away from lifting but I am really looking forward to the day.
The butter that I use is Jersey butter, lightly salted, which is produced less than a mile away from here. I always buy locally where possible.
JB.

Those of you who have purchased JRs just lately, what size where they?

The reason I ask, I was in the local Tesco's on Sat. morning getting my paper,when I saw a large sign promoting JRs.
I went to have a look at them, they were in small packs, and were about the size of a normal hens egg, cost £1 per bag.
I would not have taken them if I had got them for nothing, but lots of females were lifting them.
I have been lifting "Dunluce" for almost 2 weeks I think, one plant at a time, the first twice there was not much taste, nor great crop,but they have improved on each lifting, now they are between a goose egg size and a tennis ball, and taste great.
Cheers

As commented, taste is a subjective thing. I always liked Maris Bard but my wife wasn't that keen on them. Since the beginning of May we have had a combination of Witchhill and Salad Blue which I grew on initially in pots in the greenhouse from seed saved from last year - originally from microplants. Both very tasty. Salad Blue, although supposed to be an early maincrop, seems more like an early second early. It's absolutely delicious roasted, though we haven't tried them yet this year. As for Anya, I'm afraid I actively dislike the taste and texture.

Hello Colin.

When I was a small lad (just a couple of years ago) either my granddad or uncle used to give my mum "blue" potatoes.
I think they were call Edzell Blues, they were useless for boiling,as they went into mush,as my mum said, but were delicious roasted.

I have not seen any blue potatoes for sale for years,though T&M sell seed.

On my day off, the rain is teaming down,so I am amusing myself on here whilst my wife is doing some baking.
Dare not go near the kitchen when she is busy, as she just gets stropy.
Typical woman !!!!!

I visited a Supermarket in Leominster last week and the Jersey Royals were 1. The wrong shape and 2. the wrong colour.
I enquired where the potatoes came from and the vegetable manager said Shropshire! When I suggested then they are Shropshire Earlies, which is simply a marketing name and not the variety, and not Jersey Royals and that he could be prosecuted for selling them as JR's he said that it wasn't his worry and he couldn't give a s**t. So much for supermarkets!
I have written to the head office in Yorkshire but will not hold my breath for a speedy reply.
JB.

Talking about taste. We bought some JR from M&S! on special offer. We cooked them on Saturday night and both my OH and I said that they could not possibly be JR. The taste was all wrong. Dont know why. I have just bought some loose from Morrisons today and we are having them for supper tonight with a tuna salad we will wait to see what they taste like. Also they are getting really big potatoes Has anyone tasted Pembroke new potatoes, I think that they put JR to shame with their taste.

Can JB tell us what variety is usually sold as Pembrokes?

Hi Geoff,
I'm afraid that I have no idea what Pembrokes or even Shropshire varieties are. There is also Cornish Kings which are meant to be in competition with JR they all seem to be closely guarded secrets.
JB.