Subject: Why don't we speak of potatoes?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:51:24 +0200
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Here in Italy are not eatable!!!! I say the truth! About 20 years ago they were very good to be fried. Now they are very soft and you can't do anything with them, Neither Gnocchi! I Am thincking seriously to order them from Germany.
And you? What do you tell me about your potatoes?
From: address.in.sig at nyc.rr.com (Curly Sue)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:32:07 GMT
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Do you have different types of potatoes? Here (northeast US) we usually have different varieties to choose from, depending on the use.
Then, there is the age of the potato, new and old will be different.
If you think the potatoes are too soft for gnocchi, try baking them instead of boiling. Poke several holes in the skin first to allow moisture to escape while baking.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:01:35 +0200
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Curly Sue ha scritto:
> Do you have different types of potatoes? Here (northeast US) we
> usually have different varieties to choose from, depending on the use.
Yes. We have too! But they are all soft!!!!
> Then, there is the age of the potato, new and old will be different.
yes. I knew also this. But they are no good (new or old)
> If you think the potatoes are too soft for gnocchi, try baking them
> instead of boiling. Poke several holes in the skin first to allow
> moisture to escape while baking.
Ohhh! I could try for gnocchi! But how can I do to make good fries?
Thank you very much
From: address.in.sig at nyc.rr.com (Curly Sue)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:45:55 GMT
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Pandora wrote:
>Ohhh! I could try for gnocchi! But how can I do to make good fries?
>Thank you very much
Dry the outside very well before you fry; use paper to absorb the moisture. Perhaps if you leave the cut fries out for an hour or so before frying, that would help. (And/or refrigerate them, maybe). Do you double-fry them?
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:57:07 +0200
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Curly Sue ha scritto:
> Dry the outside very well before you fry; use paper to absorb the
> moisture. Perhaps if you leave the cut fries out for an hour or so
> before frying, that would help. (And/or refrigerate them, maybe). Do
> you double-fry them?
Yes. I double fry since 20 years. 20 years ago you didn't need to double fry. Now you MUST!
And after that they are ALWAYS soft.
When I buy freeze potatoes they are better and they become very crispy after cooking. Perhaps they are German potatoes (they say they are the better): But this isn't written on the envelope.
From: Donald Martinich (dutchm at dcn.org)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:18:29 -0700
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Pandora wrote:
> Ohhh! I could try for gnocchi! But how can I do to make good fries?
My most successful fries were when I last worked in a restaurant. (you can do this at home) I used Russet Burbank potatoes which are the most common baking and frying potatoes used in the USA. The same variety of potato can have better frying characteristics depending on where it's grown. The best I found were from near Winnemucca, Nevada, which is in a high desert. It's a dry, sandy, region with hot summers and cold winters. I don't know what is comparable in Europe. During prep time I had them hand sliced and held in a bowl of water for about a half hour. This removes some of the starch and sugar and prevents them from browning too fast. Then I drained them in a colander and quickly toweled them off. I then deep fried them in animal shortening for about 5 minutes at 325F, drained them and reserved in a bowl. When lunch started, I would then fry each order for another 1 minute at 375F and serve immediately. (Also, do not store the uncooked potatoes at too cold a temperature or they will brown too fast.)
Good luck on your search,
From: phil1 at writeme.com (Phil Evans)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:33:00 -0500
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My dad back in the UK always cooks his chips (fries) in beef dripping.
I must admit when I am back in the motherlode I do enjoy his chips.
He also has a crinkle cut potatoe hand slicer, it gives the chip a larger frying surface area.
From: Giusi (decobabe at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:30:32 +0200
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Pandora wrote:
> Here in Italy are not eatable!!!! I say the truth! About 20 years ago they
> were very good to be fried. Now they are very soft and you can't do
> anything
> with them, Neither Gnocchi! I Am thincking seriously to order them from
> Germany.
> And you? What do you tell me about your potatoes?
It is a shortcoming in supermarkets, but at our regular beg market more types are available. At my bio market I can even buy the long oval dark potatoes that I associate with baked potatoes in the US. The tiny versions I roast under sale grosso. The big ones make great french fries.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:29:25 +0200
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Giusi ha scritto:
> It is a shortcoming in supermarkets, but at our regular beg market more
> types are available. At my bio market I can even buy the long oval dark
> potatoes that I associate with baked potatoes in the US. The tiny
> versions I roast under sale grosso. The big ones make great french fries.
I don't know these oval dark potatoes. Have you got the exact name?
From: MJB (mrtinj at OLDsguy.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 07:51:55 -0600
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Pandora wrote:
> I don't know these oval dark potatoes. Have you got the exact name?
Russets?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russet_Burbank_potato
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:08:40 +0200
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MJB ha scritto:
> Russets?
Very very interesting!!!!!! I have never seen them. Thank you
From: MJB (mrtinj at OLDsguy.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:24:15 -0600
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Pandora wrote:
> Very very interesting!!!!!! I have never seen them. Thank you
Here in Montana, Russets are probably the most common available potato. Which is understandable since the state borders Idaho. That doesn't actually help someone in Italy, I suppose.
<grin>
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:44:51 +0200
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MJB ha scritto:
> Here in Montana, Russets are probably the most common available potato.
> Which is understandable since the state borders Idaho. That doesn't
> actually help someone in Italy, I suppose.
Ohhh! I envy you!!!!!
From: MJB (mrtinj at OLDsguy.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:56:27 -0600
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Pandora wrote:
> Ohhh! I envy you!!!!!
Don't envy me too much. Summer here is sometime like the seventh circle - and winter like the ninth.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:58:03 +0200
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MJB ha scritto:
> Don't envy me too much. Summer here is sometime like the seventh circle -
> and winter like the ninth.
Do you mean it's too hot up there?
Also in the winther?
What temperature?
From: MJB (mrtinj at OLDsguy.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:10:29 -0600
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Pandora wrote:
> Do you mean it's too hot up there?
> Also in the winther?
> What temperature?
https://weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USMT0031?from=36hr_bottomnav_undeclared
Lived here for the longest time. Just focus on the red line - and the dark blue line.
Half the year mother-nature is trying to kill you dead.
<grin>
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:49:07 +0200
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MJB ha scritto:
> Lived here for the longest time. Just focus on the red line - and the
> dark blue line.
>
> Half the year mother-nature is trying to kill you dead.
Lovely site. Thank you! I have seen it reached 108 in the year 2005 !!!
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:37:21 +0100
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Pandora I am sure the best thing you can do is speak to Guisi and Vilco.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:50:54 +0200
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Ophelia ha scritto:
> Pandora I am sure the best thing you can do is speak to Guisi and Vilco.
Yes. But they live in another region. I think I make before to go in France:)
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:58:19 +0100
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Pandora wrote:
> Yes. But they live in another region. I think I make before to go in
> France:)
Sure, but they are closer than people in America, yes? And Guisi is not in France.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:36:02 +0200
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Ophelia ha scritto:
> Sure, but they are closer than people in America, yes? And Guisi is not in
> France.
Giusi live in Umbria, but GUISI I don't know :DDD
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:49:58 +0100
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Pandora wrote:
> Giusi live in Umbria, but GUISI I don't know :DDD
then you must speak with her because she is a very good friend of mine:)
From: ravenlynne (ravenlynne at yahoo.com)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:49:26 +0200
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Ophelia wrote:
> then you must speak with her because she is a very good friend of mine:)
And very knowledgeable! I thought Giusi lived near me...maybe that's vilco?
We really oughtta have an Italy cook in ;-)
-Gina in Italy
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:00:41 +0100
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ravenlynne wrote:
> And very knowledgeable! I thought Giusi lived near me...maybe that's vilco?
> We really oughtta have an Italy cook in ;-)
I thought Vilco was living in Germany?
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:24:12 +0200
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Ophelia ha scritto:
> I thought Vilco was living in Germany?
No. I think he lives in Emilia Romagna near Bologna.
From: cybercat (cyberpurrs at yahoo.com)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:30:26 -0400
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Pandora wrote
> No. I think he lives in Emilia Romagna near Bologna.
On the wall near the train station at Bologna last time I went through-- "SHOW ME YOUR SHOES!
:)
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:26:53 +0100
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cybercat wrote:
> On the wall near the train station at Bologna last time I went
> through-- "SHOW ME YOUR SHOES!
*Gasp* Cat!!!!!!!!!!!! Surely you are not saying Vilco wrote that are you????
<G>
From: Nancy Young (rjynly at comcast.net)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:11:36 -0400
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Ophelia wrote
> I thought Vilco was living in Germany?
Perhaps you have confused him with Victor?
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:31:28 +0100
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Nancy Young wrote:
> Perhaps you have confused him with Victor?
You could be right nancy :)))
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:12:28 +0200
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Ophelia ha scritto:
> then you must speak with her because she is a very good friend of mine:)
So, if she is a good friend of yours, you shouls know her name is Giusi and not Guisi :DDDDDDD
Or you know another Guisi? :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:24:19 +0100
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Pandora wrote:
> So, if she is a good friend of yours, you shouls know her name is
> Giusi and not Guisi :DDDDDDD
> Or you know another Guisi? :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Her name is Judith and she changed it when another Judith came into another group, so they would not be confused which was very kind of her. Apologies for my typo!
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:11:16 +0200
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Ophelia ha scritto:
> Her name is Judith and she changed it when another Judith came into
> another group, so they would not be confused which was very kind of her.
> Apologies for my typo!
Ohhh! Don't mind :)))
From: Steve Y (steveremove at wanadoo.fr)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:51:04 +0200
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Pandora wrote:
> And you? What do you tell me about your potatoes?
I have just lifted 80Kg of Armandine and Belle de Fontenay from the garden despite the Colorado Beetle attack and am now looking to give them away cos we don't do well when we try to store them. Best crop in years but too big to be eaten as "New Potatoes"
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:04:34 +0200
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Steve Y ha scritto:
>I have just lifted 80Kg of Armandine and Belle de Fontenay from the garden
>despite the Colorado Beetle attack and am now looking to give them away cos
>we don't do well when we try to store them. Best crop in years but too big
>to be eaten as "New Potatoes"
Are they good to be fried? Are they crispy when you fry them? I only want to know this...then if your aswer is positive I will make the order :DDD
Thank you Stivy
From: Steve Y (steveremove at wanadoo.fr)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:38:30 +0200
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Pandora wrote:
> Are they good to be fried? Are they crispy when you fry them? I only want to
> know this...then if your aswer is positive I will make the order :DDD
I haven't tried frying them from raw, left over spuds fried in olive oil are wonderful
PS We try to avoid home made chips cos we like them too much so no deep fat fryer or chip pan !
From: Bobo Bonobo® (CLASSACT at BRICK.NET)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:03:24 -0700
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The Tuber That Must Not Be Named.
--Bryan, who finished the last Harry Potter book this morning
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:05:10 +0200
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Bobo Bonobo® ha scritto:
> The Tuber That Must Not Be Named.
I agreee!!!
From: Bobo Bonobo® (CLASSACT at BRICK.NET)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:21:51 -0700
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I'm going to fry some you-know-whats to go along with the salmon, which is going to be salted, peppered and dredged in corn meal, then fried in peanut oil and served with fresh lemons..
From: Dave Smith (adavidsmith at sympatico.ca)
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:08:19 -0400
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Pandora wrote:
> And you? What do you tell me about your potatoes?
I think that a lot of people don't really know enough about the different types of potatoes to use for different recipes. They are not completely interchangeable. I confess that I am not all that careful about them because my wife does not eat potatoes and I eat rarely eat them, maybe once a month. I do enjoy nice small new potatoes, and I try to have some Yukon Gold on hand because they make good fries. However, I noticed when travelling in Europe that they seemed to be more particular about the potatoes they use in dishes. At one dinner in Denmark there were two different servings of boiled potatoes.
From: Vilco (a at b.invalid)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:01:10 GMT
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Dave Smith wrote:
> rarely eat them, maybe once a month. I do enjoy nice small new
> potatoes, and I try to have some Yukon Gold on hand because they make
> good fries.
Yukon Gold: I saw them here in Italy, probably labeled as "for fries", maybe also Pandora can find those.
I almost always buy potatoes from a local stupidmarket which has them labeled in three different ways: one kind of package is labeled "for fries" (italian: patatine), one "for dumplings" (italian: gnocchi) and the other is labeled "puree" (italian: pure'), and the first two work quite good for their purpose. I never bought the "puree" version.
I just can't remember if their brand is the same as the supermarket (Coop) or if it is a private brand sold by this supermarket. Have a look at those, Pandora.
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:32:22 +0200
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Vilco ha scritto:
> Yukon Gold: I saw them here in Italy, probably labeled as "for fries",
> maybe also Pandora can find those.
I have never seen yukon Gold. In our supermarket they sell only italian potatoes. Here is why they are so bad!!!
> I just can't remember if theyr brand is the same as the supermarket (Coop)
> or if it is a private brand sold by this supermarket.
I go to Ipercoop but I didn't see. Perrhaps I must go to a stupidmarket, too:D
thanks
Pandora
From: Pandora (mirybranca at alice.it)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:11:33 +0200
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Dave Smith ha scritto:
> and I try to have some Yukon
> Gold on hand because they make good fries.
Red potatoes should be more indicated for fries. But neither them are good, now:(((
From: ranck at vt.edu
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:31:28 +0000 (UTC)
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Pandora wrote:
> And you? What do you tell me about your potatoes?
Well, reading this thread yesterday gave me the idea to cook some little "fingerling" potatoes that my wife had dug out of the garden last week. They are just small Yukon Golds. I washed them, dried them, and put them in a hot cast iron frying pan with some butter. After a minute or so I reduced the heat to very low, covered, and let them cook. I also added some sliced onion and carrots for a while, but had to pull the carrot chunks out as they were cooked through before the potatoes were ready. Recombined them at the end.
Anyway, these came out very well. I left the nice tender skins on. Good flavor, not mushy.
Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.