Archive for October, 2009


The Popular Yukon Gold

Monday, October 26th, 2009

variety_f08Q. I see “Yukon Gold” potatoes listed on menus and in food magazine recipes all the time now, does Idaho grow any of this variety and why has it become so popular?

A. This is one of those overnight successes that only took years and years to happen.  A Canadian researcher became aware of yellow flesh potatoes in 1959, started working with a yellow flesh light skinned potato in 1966, and finally in 1980 was asked to name the particular potato he had developed.  In the words of plant biologist Gary Johnston: “I suggested the name Yukon (for the Yukon River and gold rush country) and Charlie Bishop suggested we add the word Gold, so it officially became YUKON GOLD.  To succeed I believed that Yukon gold would require good publicity.  Harowsmith, a national magazine, published an article I wrote called “There’s Gold in these hills”.  Shortly after, I was asked to do several interviews for TV and radio.  I did one for a radio station in Yellowknife, N.W.T.  Later, the magazine American Vegetable Grower did an article “Yukon Gold goes upstairs” with the front page coverage.  The biggest boost came when two large Ontario Canada growers printed YUKON GOLD in large letters on their very attractive 10 lb paper packages sold in many supermarkets.  This enabled customers, if they like the product, to come back and ask for the same variety by name.”

So, the answer is that Idaho did not invent the Yukon Gold variety.  This potato, as well as several others, including Yukon Gem Milva (bright yellow flesh), Yellow Finn (one of the oldest yellow flesh potatoes known outside of South America where potatoes began), and the proprietary Klondike Goldust™ (marketed by Potandon/Green Giant) are now successfully grown in Idaho.  While known for our russets, the Idaho climate produces a little drier (higher solids) yellow potato, often favored by chefs and restaurant owners.

Click here for a list of shippers that carry the yellow flesh varieties or download a .pdf of our poster featuring several of the varieties of potatoes now grown in Idaho.

Originally the “marketing “of the Yukon Gold was a little misleading, claiming that you don’t even have to add the butter.  This was, of course false, it came about because the potato has a medium starch content (moist texture) and a yellow interior resembling a potato already buttered.  The natural, moister taste and a unique flavor makes this variety good for salads, similar to red varieties.  It does well with boiling.  Recently chefs have tried to mash or even fry the fresh Yukon Gold variety.  This can be a challenge, as the lower solids means that the potato cells will break down easier if over mixed for mashed and can turn soggy faster when frying. Over the years, manufacturers have found ways to have potato farmers grow a Yukon Gold variety with more solids or starch, and now these can be successfully promoted.  Lamb Weston offers a frozen Yukon Gold variety for fries. The Arctic Circle QSR chain serves these as their only fry choice.  Idahoan offers a dry potato package using Yukon Golds, which is sold in foodservice as well as in smaller packages at grocery stores.

If you have not tried Yukon Gold potatoes from Idaho, pick some up and let me know what you think.  Write me at ipc@potato.idaho.gov.

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Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Q & A

Q&A: Baking Potatoes Effectively

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Q: We prepare and bake 1,200 Idaho Bakers for our annual BAR-B-QUE.  We normally wash them on Wednesday night and when they are dry we wrap in aluminum foil on Thursday and start baking on Friday morning, for serving that day.  Would it be acceptable if we wash and wrapped on Wednesday night while the bakers are still wet and start baking on Friday?

Also, when baked we will store some in Styrofoam boxes and they continue to bake causing over cooking.  Do you have any suggestions how to prevent this and keep the potatoes hot?

A: First off, I’d like to say thank you for using Idaho® Potatoes for your event.   The food safety issues with potatoes come up when holding potatoes in a middle zone of not too hot, not too cold once they are cooked.  So, as long as the raw potatoes you wash are being stored properly, go ahead and wash them on Wednesday and bake on Friday.  Just don’t coat the raw potatoes in oil or butter and then put into foil.

In foodservice we don’t recommend wrapping the potatoes in foil for preparation.  It steams the potato when cooked as the moisture cannot escape (a potato is typically 80% water so you are trapping it inside) and the outer skin will be wet with an interior flesh that is soggy.  Potatoes actually take longer to cook when wrapped in foil as the aluminum has to be heated up before the potato inside will start to bake.

Here is what I recommend… to have a hot potato that is dry and fluffy, as well as being able to store the potato in foil for an extended serving time, bake the potatoes on Friday AM (for service at lunch time) without any foil.  Once the internal temp is 185°F or more (210°F is ideal) pull the potatoes from the oven, and with one person using a mitt, hand the hot potato to another to wrap in foil.  You can achieve a superior tasting potato.  Pre-heat plastic coolers with hot water and drain the water just before placing the foil wrapped potatoes inside.  They will keep warm for the serving period.  Give it a try and I think you will be getting “compliments to the chef”.

Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Q & A

Notes on Gnocchi

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

image-1Q. I have a friend who just added Gnocchi to his restaurant menu. There is a debate over using russets, red potatoes, or Yukon Golds. What do you recommend?

A. Gnocchi can be done with potatoes besides russets, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Have the chef spend the money they will save on another part of the dish. The Russet Burbank specifically has high solids and low moisture, and it ideal for gnocchi. Reds are too waxy, the starch cells will turn gluey when moisture is added. The Yukon Golds can work, but often cost 3-4 times more than a russet and also have a medium solids or moist profile. If the chef wants yellow flesh to kick up the appearance, just add a little turmeric or saffron.

Follow-up Response: Thanks for the advice, I will pass it on. I have also had two very bad Gnocchi experiences lately. Both were in famous food cities. In both cases they tried to pan sear them and the experiment failed.

Follow-up Reply: With pan searing or sautéing we still recommend that the gnocchi be blanched quickly in water before searing with brown butter or olive oil, to allow the interior of the “pasta” to warm (otherwise they will be browned on the outside and cool or luke warm on the inside). We have a plethora of gnocchi recipes to try out, they are on our website in the recipe section. Just search “Gnocchi” and you’ll find some wonderful recipes!

Basic Gnocchi

Creole Cream Cheese Idaho® Potato Gnocchi with Crawfish

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi with Clam Chowder

Gnocchi con Fontina e Tartufo Idaho® Potato Dumplings with Pontina Cheese & Truffle

Homemade Idaho® Potato Gnocchi – Bolognese

Horseradish Gnocchi

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi in Horseradish Cream and Bolognese

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi with Maine Lobster

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi with Pesto

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi with Spring Peas and Proscuitto

Loaded Gnocchi with Baked Potato Broth

Paradise Potato Gnocchi

Pumpkin Gnocchi

Potato Gnocchi with Ricotta

Potato Gnocchi

Idaho® Potato Gnocchi Coeur D’Alene

Fully Loaded Idaho® Potato Gnocchi Fritti

In Addition, there is a fun video on doing speed scratch gnocchi using dry potatoes:

Fast-Speed, Scratch-Prepared Idaho® Potato Gnocchi

Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Q & A

All About Latkes

Monday, October 19th, 2009

imageQ. Any thoughts on how to make Latkes using Idaho Potatoes?

A. You are off to the right start by specifying Idaho potatoes.  The Russet Burbank variety from Idaho makes an excellent choice because of its high starch content.  No matter what russet you use; Ranger, Classic, Umatilla, Premier, Western, Norkotah, or the potato named after famed scientist Luther Burbank…always choose Idaho.

A perfect latke builds upon the high solids or starch to turn out golden brown and extra crispy.  The crunch is a nice contrast to a soft center.

A recent article by Beth J. Harpaz credits five key points to achieve a perfect latke:
1.    Avoid discoloration
2.    Get the water out
3.    Shape your patties right
4.    Go golden, not greasy
5.    Knowing when to flip

View her entire article here.

Here are several recipes from our web site:

•    Classic Latkes
•    Curried Idaho® Potato Latkes – Latkes with a twist on the traditional including turmeric, curry, peas and mango chutney
•    Sweet Idaho® Potato and Ricotta Latkes (pictured)

Best of all, check out these tips from this short video featuring Chef and Dean of Kendall College in Chicago on making potato cakes, latkes, and potato pancakes.

Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Q & A

Q&A: Timing from Harvest to Grocery Store Shelf

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Q: How long are Idaho® Potatoes normally stored before they are put out on supermarket shelves?

A: The Idaho Potato Commission spends 10% of its budget on potato research, so we’ve been able to extend the availability of potatoes dramatically by paying extra attention to proper storage techniques.  Our harvest is typically in September and October, and unlike some other crops such as lettuce, carrots, broccoli, etc. we only get one harvest a year.  To be able to provide consumers and foodservice operators with a year round supply, the majority of potatoes do get placed into storage to sell later.  Once the potatoes are harvested, they are stored at temps of 40 – 45ºF and in a high humidity atmosphere.

With the new crop, some potatoes are harvested, sorted, and shipped right out.  At the beginning of the season you can sometimes tell these potatoes by the condition of the skin, which can be very thin and can feather or scrape off easily when washed.  Once a potato is in storage a miraculous thing happens. The process called “suberization” occurs and often any cuts or bruises actually heal over, just like the formation of a scar on cut skin.  The wound healing actually helps the potato in three ways: minimizes weight loss, minimizes quality loss and maximizes disease resistance.  There is nothing wrong with purchasing potatoes that have been stored properly for up to twelve months.  Most consumers object to potatoes that have been handled improperly, such as:

  • Potatoes that have been too stored cold and then placed quickly into a warmer environment (causing small cuts or “air checks”)
  • Potatoes that have not been rotated properly (causing sprouting or wrinkled skins)
  • Potatoes that turn green (due to exposure to sunlight or especially fluorescent lights which you will find in a supermarket)

In foodservice, each carton of Idaho potatoes has a pack date so the receiver can see when the potatoes were actually taken out of storage, washed, sorted, and packaged.  This is stenciled in on the side of the carton and is sometimes referred to as perpetual Julian date: http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/julian_calendar.shtml.

By the way, if you ever have an issue with the Idaho potatoes you receive at the grocery store, save the bag and quick lock and return this to the retailer to help them identify when it was received and sold to you. Often the produce manager can make an adjustment or trade you a fresh bag of potatoes. If they are not helpful, always feel free to contact the shipper of the Idaho Potatoes.  An online listing is available at: http://directory.idahopotato.com/dir_brands.php?m=shipper.

Posted in Q & A

Q&A: Oops! I added too much salt!

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Q: What do I do when I add too much salt to my Au Gratin Idaho® Potatoes?

A: For soups, an old trick to absorb some of the salt is to put sliced raw potatoes into the mixture (which will soak up some of the salt), and then remove the potato slices and taste.  For already prepared Au Gratin potatoes, unfortunately, you might just be out of luck.

The answer to this question is pretty dependent upon knowing how the potatoes were prepared.  Normally, I’d suggest slicing the potatoes thin on a mandolin or commercial meat slicer, immediately rinsing in a plastic bucket until the excess starches and sugars leave the surfaces (the water will be clear instead of cloudy), and then briefly storing in chilled water before draining or spin drying (using a salad spinner to rid the excess water).  So, no salt added at this stage.  Once cream or grated cheese is introduced to the dish, the salt is being added to the recipe.  Be sure to taste the cheese to make sure it’s not too salty.  If it is, consider adding another blend that is not so salty (such as a mild melting cheese like mozzarella or Monterey Jack) to the parmesan to cut out some of the salt from the aged parmesan, or mix the cream with a low-fat or 2% milk to dilute the salt.

Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Q & A