Is it just me? (Very trivial; potato related)

[LadyAntonella]

Is it just me or are potatoes shit at the moment? I haven't had a nice potato in months! I've bought several different kinds (jersey royals, King Edwards, sweet potatoes) from a few different supermarkets and they have all been horrid. All grey and bitter and too much water in them so they're really crunchy like a carrot when raw. I love potatoes normally but have gone right off them. Probably for the best - should be low carbing anyway.

I'm coming round to that way of thinking Hosta, which is sad really. I am a life long lover of potatoes.

Oh link didn't work. Anyway, they have a potato festival.

Don't buy Ocado own brand potatoes. They are awful at the moment. Really awful.

I live in the town next to Comber and never buy Comber spuds

Potato festival you say??? I'm googling as we speak!

Definitely give growing them a go, they're incredibly easy. I have potato buckets and you start them at the bottom and pile compost on as they grow up. The kids love ferreting through for the spuds when they're ready. Also trying some on my compost heap this year as well, once they're in you never get rid of them though!

Damn it can't make those dates.

Oh thanks Eustachian. We have very stony garden so buckets might work well. When do you plant them please?

Comber spuds are amazing. Next time I'm home with a car I'm taking a sack or two back to London.

Next best are Maris piper or roosters (the Michael roux labelled ones from sainsbos are not bad). Finally if you want good mash, cook, drain in a colander and out the colander full of potatoes back on top of the pot and back on the (turned off) hot ring for 3-4 mins before mashing. Let's them dry out and be the perfect fluffy mash recepticle for butter.

You've missed this year. It depends on if you want to grow new or old potatoes but roughly start them off in Feb/mar (chitting) by putting them in an old egg box or similar indoors. They'll grow shoots and you plant out when the frost danger has passed.
Earthing up is an important bit (piling more compost over the plant as it grows) because it encourages more potatoes to grow off the stem. I'm growing red duke of York (new) potatoes this year, they're a lovely red colour.

I bought Jersey Royals the other day and they were grey inside when cooked.
Swizz!
Had some nice ones in a restaurant though: slightly knobbly, begin with an A.

And this is making me miss my grandparents who always boiled spuds in their skins and there was no higher compliment to a spud than being 'a lovely dry spud' and we always had a side plate each to peel the skins on to.

Thanks and yes I do that with my mash too! Or sometimes bake them to get them really dry for mashing. But they're still shit atm. Especially baked - they go too dry and just a nasty texture (vom).

blu were they from tesco in a little purple packet?? I've had two lots of those and they were revolting.

Anya, Blu

I'm growing them this year. Them and Red Duke of York, like pp.

I missed a ? There Blu.
I sounded a bit all-knowing there.

Yep I ve noticed that jersey royals that I usually look forward to at this time of year just don't taste like they should. They just taste of kind of nothing

LadyA, they were from Tesco, yes. Can't remember packet colour, but they had all been put on special offer.

Yes, Anya. They were lovely, no question about it

This is my favourite thread ever. It is the King Edward of threads.

I grew potatoes in old bins a few years ago. Worked really well, but I'm quite short of arm, so digging the bottom ones out proved tricky.

You see LadyAntonella, it's nothing to do with the quality of potatoes really; they have just revealed to you their true nature!

This is my favourite thread ever. It is the King Edward of threads.

I am weirdly proud of this^^.

It saddens me Hosta, but you could be right!

(For reasons I won't go into) I sometimes visit this Irish blogger's site. She's passionate about potatoes and the recipes are good when you're lacking inspiration for your humble spuds.
www.thedailyspud.com/recipes/

I wait till my potatos have started sprouting then replant then un a potato planter - just soil and a huge pot - they start regrowing and taste so much better!

Yes! I've noticed this recently! I thought it was just me as no one else seems too bothered by us. The Aldi ones are particularly rubbish: pappy, bruised and sprout within minutes...