Potatoes, Health & Berreverages

Love Potatoes? We received this new news from our potato loving friends at the Potato Commission –

This September, celebrated author and Chef Diane Morgan is releasing Roots: The Definitive Compendium, a comprehensive reference book and cookbook with more than 225 recipes that explore the history and lore of root vegetables, including what Morgan refers to as the “agreeable potato.”

In a chapter devoted entirely to potatoes, Morgan explains that there are “thousands of varieties that vary by size, shape, color, water content, and starch level.” In addition to storage and handling tips, she offers 14 unique potato recipes, ranging from Twice-Baked Gruyere Potatoes with Lots of Green Onions to globally inspired dishes, such as Suneeta’s Potato Chaat with Cilantro-Mint Chutney.

“Incredibly versatile,” the potato can be boiled, baked, roasted, steamed, simmered, sautéed, grill-roasted, and deep-fried, she explains. “I’m always inspired by this ‘workhorse’ of a vegetable that adapts from side dish staple to spotlight ingredient.”

Another Northwest writer, food blogger Clark Haass, is praising potatoes in the release of his first cookbook this fall.Hashcapades: The Art of the Perfect Hash Adventure will take readers on a journey through hash recipes from all over the world.

“Hash dishes are so interesting because you can truly make them anything you want them to be,” Haass says. “The center of virtually all hash creations is the potato.”

Choosing the right kind of potato is key, he notes. “For example, the Yukon Gold has a creamy texture that can hold its own in hearty dishes, while also retaining its shape when chopped and sautéed. Whereas a variety like the Russet, which has more starch and a robust skin, is perfect for hash dishes that demand a rustic treatment.” On his Hashcapades blog, Haass describes how he tested four different potato varieties to determine his favorite for hash recipes.