General: How do I store potatoes????

Subject: How do I store potatoes????
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: tomkanpa at aol.comic (TOM KAN PA)
Date: 28 Oct 2002 14:41:29 GMT
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Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
* pun intended.
From: Jack Schidt (jack.schidt at snet.net)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 14:59:48 GMT
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Don't buy 'em. ;-> Seriously, if you're really wondering about storing food items, then the quantity is too much and any money you think you're saving will be tossed out later due to spoilage.

Otherwise, your options include storing them in the refrigerator (5 lbs would take up a whole vegetable bin), preparing them all at once in various recipes and freezing the cooked product, or eating potatoes every day. I've kept potatoes in the refrigerator for over 2 weeks; they weren't the prettiest, but they were plenty good for soup.

Jack Spud
From: Mike Reid (clevermick at fellwalk.co.uk)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 10:36:13 +0000
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Following up to Jack Schidt

>Otherwise, your options include storing them in the refrigerator (5 lbs
>would take up a whole vegetable bin),

this idea of refrigeration intrigued me, (I think we brits turn to the fridge much less often), so I looked it up and found that Paul Gayler in "A passion for potatoes" says that 7C 45F is ideal for potatoes and that at fridge temperatures the starch will convert to sugar spoiling the flavour. So know we know.
From: Jack Schidt (jack.schidt at snet.net)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 11:45:32 GMT
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Mike Reid wrote:
> this idea of refrigeration intrigued me, (I think we brits turn to the
> fridge much less often), so I looked it up and found that Paul Gayler
> in "A passion for potatoes" says that 7C 45F is ideal for potatoes and
> that at fridge temperatures the starch will convert to sugar spoiling
> the flavour. So know we know.

A while back I placed a thermometer in my refrigerator and found the temp to be 45 degrees. Of course, I lowered the temp so that now it reads 39 deg F.

Guess I previously had it set perfectly for potatoes, eh??

Jack Pot
From: Mike Reid (gillardreid at mcmail.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 15:01:44 +0000
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Following up to Jack Schidt

>A while back I placed a thermometer in my refrigerator and found the temp to
>be 45 degrees. Of course, I lowered the temp so that now it reads 39 deg F.

patent it, the potato fridge!
From: Jack Schidt (jack.schidt at snet.net)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 15:06:50 GMT
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Mike Reid wrote:
> patent it, the potato fridge!

If only it were more portable......

Jack Takeout
From: Mike Reid (gillardreid at mcmail.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 16:48:36 +0000
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Following up to Jack Schidt

>If only it were more portable......

car boot potato fridge? Its a cracker!
From: Pat Meadows (pat at meadows.pair.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 15:26:30 GMT
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Mike Reid wrote:
>this idea of refrigeration intrigued me, (I think we brits turn to the
>fridge much less often), so I looked it up and found that Paul Gayler
>in "A passion for potatoes" says that 7C 45F is ideal for potatoes and
>that at fridge temperatures the starch will convert to sugar spoiling
>the flavour. So know we know.

Except that it doesn't happen.

At least it's never happened in my house and I've been keeping potatoes in the fridge for at least 40 years (various houses, various fridges).
From: rosie readandpost (NOSPAM at yahoo.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 15:51:05 GMT
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Pat Meadows wrote:
> At least it's never happened in my house and I've been
> keeping potatoes in the fridge for at least 40 years
> (various houses, various fridges).

hasn't happened here either................been keeping them in a refrig drawer all my adult life!
From: Mike Reid (gillardreid at mcmail.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 16:48:37 +0000
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Following up to Pat Meadows

>At least it's never happened in my house and I've been
>keeping potatoes in the fridge for at least 40 years
>(various houses, various fridges).

you *knew* I would have said 40 years is too long........:-)

Funny innit. UK eggs[1] potatoes on shelf US in fridge (US is often warmer of course)

1]people put em in fridge because (US designed?) fridges have somewhere to put them, but shops dont.
From: Pat Meadows (pat at meadows.pair.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 17:24:36 GMT
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Mike Reid wrote:

>you *knew* I would have said 40 years is too long........:-)

No, I walked right into it....

>Funny innit. UK eggs[1] potatoes on shelf
>US in fridge (US is often warmer of course)

Yes, the US is MUCH warmer in many places.

Not only that, our houses in colder areas tend to have central heating and to be warm even in winter. Many people keep their house around 75 or 80 F in winter: I hate this and just roast if I'm visiting anyone like that.

Also, our fridges tend to be larger than yours. More room to keep things.

Pat (a Yank married to a Brit)
From: Mike Reid (gillardreid at mcmail.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 18:28:32 +0000
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Following up to Pat Meadows

>Also, our fridges tend to be larger than yours. More room
>to keep things.

ours is both small and full of booze, no chance for my just dug 4-5 sackfulls of potatoes!
From: Thierry Gerbault (ThierryGerbault at NOSPAM.att.net)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 15:02:53 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket.
> But, you have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag.
> When there's just two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of
> a container/bag should they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a
> bin. * pun intended.

I know you're not supposed to, but I store bags of potatoes in the refrigerator and have had no "greening" or bad results. Otherwise, a large bag of potatoes would go bad before I could use them all.
From: Pat Meadows (pat at meadows.pair.com)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 22:54:02 GMT
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Thierry Gerbault wrote:
>I know you're not supposed to, but I store bags of potatoes in the
>refrigerator and have had no "greening" or bad results.

I also keep potatoes in the fridge: never a bad result.
From: Peg Haine (mlh4 at cornell.edu)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 12:30:35 -0500
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Pat Meadows wrote:
> I also keep potatoes in the fridge: never a bad result.

We keep our harvested potatoes in brown paper bags on the kitchen floor, covered with linen towels to keep the light away from them. Our kitchen is relatively warm, but they seem to last for eating until February or so, when they begin to sprout -- the sprouted potatoes are next year's seed potatoes. From February on, we eat pasta. Works for us.
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 08:19:50 -0700
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
> have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
> two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
> they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
> * pun intended.

We two eat a lot of potatoes, so no they don't hang about all that long. The ten-pound bags we buy certainly keep for a few weeks without probs, provided the potatoes were good quality in the first place.

We store them out on the screened porch in a thick plastic bin that was meant for something else. The plastic bag is put open into a brown paper shopping bag; the paper bag is folded over. The open-ended bin is lined with newspaper and the paper bag is put in. That end of the porch is closed off, so they are protected. Unless we get a hard freeze for more than a few days, the potatoes keep well until we finish the lot.

Potatoes need dry, dark and cool to stay their best. Indoors in most American homes is just too warm for long storage. You could always do the old thing of storing them outside in a container of peat/sphagnum moss. That's often how loose potatoes are sold in UK supermarkets; they don't turn green that way and stay very fresh.

If you don't have ideal conditions, it's cheaper for you to buy potatoes as you use them. Or you could split a large bag with the neighbours, as we have done with 20-lb bags when the potatoes were 0.10 a lb. We just charged them what we paid and everyone was happy.
From: Archon (sequoia at tiscali.dk)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 18:22:19 +0100
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
> have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
> two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
> they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
> * pun intended.

I am just myself and I buy 10 pound bags and store them in a cupboard under my kitchen table, in the original bag. I haven't had spoilage. People with cellars here often store them there.

Michael Nielsen
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 28 Oct 2002 19:22:51 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
>Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket.
>But, you have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound
>bag. When there's just two of you, a bag can last a long time. What
>kind of a container/bag should they be put in.

This is one of the best (and simplest) ways to use up lots of potatoes. I usually double this recipe, it freezes well. I posted this recently, perhaps two months back.

Here's how it's made in New York City's famed Yoina Schimmel's:

Yoina Schimmel's Potato Kugel (Potato Pudding)

3 lb Idaho Potatoes 1/8 tsp Pepper
4 Eggs 1/4 Cup Onion, Grated
1/3 Cup Potato Flour 1/2 Cup Butter, Melted
11/2 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Baking Powder

Wash and peel the potatoes.
Coarsely grate the potatoes into a large bowl filled with ice water.
Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the inside of the (11/2 quart) baking dish.
Drain the potatoes.
Pat dry.
You'll need about 5 1/2 cups of grated potatoes for 8 servings, adjust as required.

Use the large bowl of an electric mixer running at high speed to beat the eggs until they are thick and light.

Stir in the potatoes, potato flour, salt, baking powder, pepper, onions and half the melted butter.

Mix well.
Turn into the prepared baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Brush the top with melted butter.
Bake, brushing the top with melted butter every 10 minutes, until the top is crusty and golden brown (roughly 45 minutes longer).

From: Joel Ehrlich
From: darlaaz at aol.com (Darlaaz)
Date: 28 Oct 2002 19:29:26 GMT
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I put potatos in frig and it was like the starch turned to sugar - the flavor
changed dramatically.
From: Pat Meadows (pat at meadows.pair.com)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 22:55:14 GMT
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Darlaaz wrote:
>I put potatos in frig and it was like the starch turned to sugar - the flavor
>changed dramatically.

I have read this before, from other people.

I don't know why it has never happened to me. I've been keeping potatoes in the fridge for at least 40 years - and it's never happened.
From: stenni at waynespenisyahoo.com (Hag)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 22:53:29 GMT
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Sheldon wrote:
>This is one of the best (and simplest) ways to use up lots of potatoes.
>I usually double this recipe, it freezes well.
>I posted this recently, perhaps two months back.
>
>Here's how it's made in New York City's famed Yoina Schimmel's:
>
> Yoina Schimmel's Potato Kugel (Potato Pudding)

Now that looks good and Id like to give it a try, but somehow I dont think im gonna come by Potato flour easily or quickly hereabouts...Would there be an acceptable substitue? Cornflower perhaps or just regular flour? Im hesitant as Im not terribly familure w/ the properties of Potato flour...Hag k
From: Damsel in dis Dress
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 23:29:55 GMT
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Hag shared the following:

>Now that looks good and Id like to give it a try, but
>somehow I dont think im gonna come by Potato flour easily or
>quickly hereabouts...Would there be an acceptable substitue?
>Cornflower perhaps or just regular flour? Im hesitant as Im
>not terribly familure w/ the properties of Potato
>flour...

I wonder if you could take instant potato flakes and pulverize them in your food processor. I may be way off base, but who knows? It could work!
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 29 Oct 2002 05:07:37 GMT
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Hag writes:
>Now that looks good and Id like to give it a try, but
>somehow I dont think im gonna come by Potato flour easily or
>quickly hereabouts...Would there be an acceptable substitue?
>Cornflower perhaps or just regular flour? Im hesitant as Im
>not terribly familure w/ the properties of Potato
>flour...Hag k

Where's "hereabouts"... potato flour is something I've been able to purchase in every US stupidmarket I've ever frequented. There are many on line sources for potato flour and most so-called health food stores will carry it.

If you can't obtain potato flour then ordinary all purpose wheat flour will surfice... I would not use corn starch.
From: stenni at waynespenisyahoo.com (Hag)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 05:57:14 GMT
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Sheldon wrote:
>Where's "hereabouts"... potato flour is something I've been able to purchase in
>every US stupidmarket I've ever frequented. There are many on line sources for
>potato flour and most so-called health food stores will carry it.
>
>If you can't obtain potato flour then ordinary all purpose wheat flour will
>surfice... I would not use corn starch.

Im in Okinawa these days, and Im pretty sure the Comissary dosnt carry it though I will check to make sure...It may be available locally somwhere, but my proficiency in Japanese isnt sufficient to make locating this an easy task...If you have some suggestions for online sources Id love to check them out, though this is also problematic as sadly an awfully large number of companys are unwilling to ship to FPO/APO addresses- they have to ship USPS vice UPS and fill out some customs forms....SO much for supporting our folks in the service...Ill try this out w/ regular ap flour, and any info regards online sources to check out would be greatly appreciated if youll post or email it...
Thanks, Hag k
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 00:15:29 -0800
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Hag wrote:
..SO much for supporting our folks
>in the service...Ill try this out w/ regular ap flour, and
>any info regards online sources to check out would be
>greatly appreciated if youll post or email it...

Maybe one of us could send you some? I see it all the time in this area...
From: stenni at waynespenisyahoo.com (Hag)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 23:37:56 GMT
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Christine Dabney wrote:
>Maybe one of us could send you some? I see it all the time in this
>area...

Thanks for the kind offer Chris, I do greatly appreciate it...Ill just go w/ the ap flour at this point and If I cant mailorder some I can see if my folks can snag some for me...Hag k
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 29 Oct 2002 14:10:07 GMT
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Hag writes:
>Im in Okinawa these days, and Im pretty sure the Comissary
>dosnt carry it though I will check to make sure...It may be
>available locally somwhere,

I don't know how much you're willing to pay (shipping will cost more than the product) but there seems to be tons of potato flour sources on line. Go here: http://www.barryfarm.com

Personally I'd go with AP flour if obtaining potato flour presents a dilemma... the flour is really just to blend with the egg (to absorb the extra liquid) in holding it all together... you can even use matzo/cracker meal. I wouldn't use corn starch as that might create too gummy a texture. When adding flour or whatever you choose use less rather than more. The quality of the potatoes is what will be the major determinant defining the dish.... with practice you will learn how to judge the potato water content, which will enable you to more correctly determine how much/little flour to add that will create a product pleasing to *your* taste. I prefer my potato kugle somewhat on the light/airy side so I go easy on the binder... I also have a tendancy to pig out on potato kugle so I also go easy on the fat, reducing by as much as half, therefore I use a richer flavored fat, chicken schmaltz instead of butter. I can buy jars of chicken schmaltz at the local market but I'm sure even in Japan you can obtain chicken fat to render yourself.
From: stenni at waynespenisyahoo.com (Hag)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 23:57:05 GMT
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Sheldon wrote:
>Personally I'd go with AP flour if obtaining potato flour presents a dilemma...

Excellent! I just finished puttin the potatos into the ice water...Its a rainy day and cold here for once, It will make comforting lunch for us and im sure ill pig out as I love my potatos...chuckle...I think I will order a lb of the potato flour, Im not sure that it will make an appreciable difference in the rec, but it will be interesting to test out...Not frugal perhaps, but thats not always the main concern... Interestingly enough, the Commisary does carry chicken schmaltz, but at a price that is laughable given the easy w/ wich I can and do make my own...Grandpa's dumplings, well they just wouldnt be Grandpa's dumplings with out...Thanks for the info and link...Hag k
From: jen (mistress at fatlittlegirl.org)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 14:36:24 -0500
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i 2nd arri's advice.... anywhere dry, dark, cool.... and not humid/damp.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 00:59:52 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
> have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
> two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
> they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
> * pun intended.

At Costco they come in 20 lb sacks. Just two of us here, too. What I do is to only start buying them in the fall, when the temp starts to fall. Then I store them in the garage. Make sure the sack is well ventilated so they don't "sweat".
From: Melba's Jammin' (barbschaller at earthlink.net)
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 21:25:16 -0600
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket.
> But, you have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound
> bag. When there's just two of you, a bag can last a long time. What
> kind of a container/bag should they be put in. And no, I don't have
> nor want a bin. * pun intended.

Cool (not cold) dark place. Separated from the onions.
From: gloria p (puester at worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 03:28:04 GMT
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Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> Cool (not cold) dark place. Separated from the onions.

Far from apples, too. The ethylene given off by the apples will cause the potatoes to sprout prematurely and most other fruit and vegetables to ripen quickly.
From: Kajikit (kaji at labyrinth.net.au)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 19:39:00 +1100
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
>Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
>have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
>two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
>they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
>* pun intended.

We store our potatoes in a wire rack in the bottom of the pantry cupboard. They keep for up to 3 or 4 weeks in there before they go off. When we bought a giant sack of potatoes we stored the bulk of them under the house in the cellar and just brought up a pound or two at a time.

I've never heard of refrigerating potatoes - I learnt that they want a cool, dark, dry environment.
From: Mike Reid (clevermick at fellwalk.co.uk)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:08:37 +0000
--------
Following up to TOM KAN PA
>Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
>have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
>two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
>they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
>* pun intended.

store potatoes in hessian sacks (not paper and NOT plastic) in a cool dry dark place.
If you grow your own your unlikely to be able to put 100 lbs or so of them in the fridge!
From: Dan Goodman (dsgood at visi.com)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 18:12:08 GMT
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Mike wrote:
> store potatoes in hessian sacks (not paper and NOT plastic) in a cool
> dry dark place.

I suspect hessian sacks are what's called burlap bags/sacks in the US. Are they made out of very coarse fabric?

> If you grow your own your unlikely to be able to put 100 lbs or so of
> them in the fridge!
From: Mike Reid (clevermick at fellwalk.co.uk)
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 10:36:13 +0000
--------
Following up to Dan Goodman

>I suspect hessian sacks are what's called burlap bags/sacks in the US. Are
>they made out of very coarse fabric?

I believe thats the same thing, any open weave sacking or even the plastic "artificial" ones you can now get here will do at a pinch, as long as they "breath".
From: Old Dog Man (bouvherd at hctc.com)
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 08:28:30 -0800
--------
Anyone ever hear of a "ROOT" cellar?? My family used to store several hundred pounds of "spuds" every winter... real old country boy
From: rms at hywaaay.not (rms)
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 16:49:48 -0000
--------
Old Dog Man says...
>Anyone ever hear of a "ROOT" cellar?? My family used to store several
>hundred pounds of "spuds" every winter...
>real old country boy

Noooooo, get John Denver out of my head.

So did you ever glean fields after the farmers went through? They miss a lot of spuds. I don't think we were that poor but it was a family outing and it let us know where our food came from. Good deal anyway, they don't charge much for pick your own. You also know that they are fresh out of the ground. We just kept them in a bin in the cellar under the house.

Damm that reminds me, I have to go dig up my sweet potatoes as soon as it gets dry enough. It finally dawned on me why sweet potatoes are part of the traditional thanksgiving dinner. I am about to have a big pile of them. rms
From: Kendall F. Stratton III (k3 at (86_THE_SPAM)maine.rr.com)
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 12:05:52 -0500
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Old Dog Man wrote:
> Anyone ever hear of a "ROOT" cellar?? My family used to store several
> hundred pounds of "spuds" every winter...
> real old country boy

Although born up here in 'Tater (Aroostook) County... I spent the first 15 years of my life on the southern New England coast (Fairfield County) in Connecitcut, stroring lots of 'taters each winter. We had a little corner in the basement was was all "dirt"... no cement, no wood, no nuthin' but rich soil.

We'd grab the 50# bags of 'taters and stack 'em in the "root cellar" and they'd last almost all winter (along with the onions, parsnips, carrots, garlic, and other root-veggies).

... lickin' my lips just thinking 'bout a New England Boiled Dinner!
Mmmmmmmm!!!
From: edg at blueyonder.co.uk (Ed)
Date: 29 Oct 2002 09:26:57 -0800
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
> have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
> two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
> they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
> * pun intended.

Apart from keeping them cool, the key thing is to store them in heavy paper bags, which exclude light but also breathe. Here in the UK we have ideal garage temperatures of a few degrees above freezing even when it's cold outside. So some people like us buy our potatoes in 25kg (approx 55lbs) sacks, from a farm shop or local store. Our family of five get through 25kg in a month!

Washed potatoes do not store well.
From: Pat Meadows (pat at meadows.pair.com)
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 17:47:46 GMT
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Ed wrote:
>Apart from keeping them cool, the key thing is to store them in heavy
>paper bags, which exclude light but also breathe. Here in the UK we
>have ideal garage temperatures of a few degrees above freezing even
>when it's cold outside. So some people like us buy our potatoes in
>25kg (approx 55lbs) sacks, from a farm shop or local store. Our family
>of five get through 25kg in a month!

I wish we could do this, but the temperature in our garage in winter is often way below freezing - and can be as low as -20 F (or -20 C - they're fairly close together in that range, and I think coincide at -30).

People often have cool cellars and those are good storage places for potatoes, etc. There's no cellar in our house, though.
From: Dimitri (dimitri_c at prodigy.net)
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 01:08:32 GMT
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Potatoes (russet, Idaho, etc.) are dirt* cheap at the supermarket. But, you
> have to buy at least a 5 pound bag, sometimes a 10 pound bag. When there's just
> two of you, a bag can last a long time. What kind of a container/bag should
> they be put in. And no, I don't have nor want a bin.
> * pun intended.

Your ears?
:-)