Potatoes for Pleasure

If you have entered ‘the zone’, the transatlantic diet which bans starches, read no further for I write in celebration of the potato. On the other hand, if you regard it as a treat, or just as an essential adjunct to the main course, there will be something here for you.

Sometimes, I like to treat potatoes as the main element of a dish; other times, they will accompany a piece of fish or meat. Either way, it is worth buying the right ones for the job, and storing and preparing them properly.

I remember being astonished the first time I went to produce markets in South America. There was such a wide range of potato varieties, all sizes, shapes, colours and textures, which, even though I knew the importance of potatoes in Andean cooking, left me very curious. Comparisons with potato supplies at home did not show ours in a favourable light. Of course, matters have improved in recent years, but it still surprises me sometimes to be offered only ‘reds’, ‘whites’ and ‘baby new potatoes’. Thus, it is an empty counsel of perfection to advise that X is best for baking, Y is good for chips, and Z is best for salads. Too often, we have to take what we can get.