St. Patrick’s Day

A potato is not just a potato. What makes a good baking potato compared to a good salad potato? Which is the best for frying and which is good for mashing? Floury potatoes such as russet or Idaho, are good for deep fat frying, baking, and mashing. Salads require a firmer, more waxy potato like any of the red-skinned varieties. New potatoes are those that are harvested when still immature; they tend to have crisp, tender flesh. Selecting potatoes isn’t easy. But it is worth the effort. The of the best known Irish dishes are champ (also known as stelk) made with scallions, and colcannon made with cabbage. My favorite is champ as I enjoy the simplicity of potatoes, scallion, milk and butter mashed together.

Happy St Patrick’s day