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POTATOES: There are two general cooking categories of potatoes - mealy and starchy. Mealy ones, such as russets, blue and purple varieities, Russian and banana fingerlings, concentrate starch in their cells, making them perfect for fluffy mashed potatoes, as well as baked and fried. Waxy types, such as new potatoes, work well for gratins, potato cakes and salads.
The best potatoes to use when making mashed potatoes are those that contain medium to high amounts of starch, such as Yukon Golds. When cooked, they break up easily andreadily absorb other ingredients, such as milk, cream and butter. See The Best Ever Mashed Potatoes Recipe
QUESTION: My recipe for mashed potatoes instructs to "boil until tender and peeled". It doesn't say to peel and then boil until tender. What do I do?
SARAH SAYS: Potatoes can be boiled with the skins and then peeled when tender. A potato ricer will rice the insides and leave the peels. (Make sure you clean out the peels with a fork after every potato pressing). Or, simply cut the potato in half, then scoop the pulp from the skin with a serving spoon.
Russet: This is the most popular all-purpose baking potato. It's high in starch and has brown skin with a white interior. Russets produce light and fluffy mashed potatoes.
Yukon Gold: This European yellow-fleshed potato is available from mid-summer into fall. It's very creamy when cooked.
Yellow-fleshed potatoes are common in Europe and South America. Yukon Golds are a cross between a North American white potato (Norgleam) with a wild South American yellow-fleshed variety done by a Canadian team. Since 1980, it has been marketed in the US. It is a good keeper and lends itself well to any type pf potato preparation - Its slightly lower starch content than the Idaho or russet gives it a combination of mealy and waxy textures. So, for mashed potatoes, it has to be prepared the way I specify above for the best results! Do not use an electric mixer.
Yukon Golds are slightly flat and oval in shape with light gold, thin skin and light yellow flesh. They can be identified by the rosy pink coloration of the shallow eyes. Anthoxanthins are the compound which gives the gold potato its beautiful yellow color. These flavenoids are also found in onions, apples, and cauliflower. Yukon Gold retains the yellow flesh color when baked, boiled or french-fried. They have a wonderful flavor and natural buttery texture, too. As a result, I find you won't need as much seasoning, butter or cream in your recipe.
Round White: This is another all-purpose potato. It has white to off-white flesh and tan skin. It holds its shape when cooked but also has a creamy texture, making it a good choice for a variety of dishes. One variety to look for is Katahdin.
Long White: These large potatoes have smooth, off-white skins with white insides. They're available in spring and summer. When cooked, they are creamy.
Sweet Potatoes and Yams:
QUESTION: Is it a Sweet Potato and or a Yam?
SARAH SAYS: Sweet potatoes: are the root of a vine in the morning glory family. Popular in the American South, they come in either paler-skinned yellow or dark-skinned orange tubers. Both varieties are elongated with ends that taper to a point. The darker-skinned variety, often called a "yam" in error, has a thick, dark orange skin. The insides have an orange, sweet flesh with a moist texture. Sweet potatoes (yams) are readily found in the grocery store.
The true yam is the tuber of a tropical vine and is not related to the sweet potato. It is rarely found in US markets, but is a popular vegetable in Latin American and Caribbean markets. There are 150 varieties available worldwide.
TOMATOES: Botanically speaking the tomato is a fruit, but horticulturally and legally, it is considered a vegetable. Tomatoes come in all shapes and colors, from white to mahogany.They should be stored at room temperature
