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What size potatoes do you want?

 
Christopher Weeks
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There's something satisfying about having a great big single potato for baked and covered in goodies. But I grow most of our potatoes and that's not mostly what comes out of the ground. And it never struck me as a problem. I *love* potato skins, so I like that the smaller the tuber, the higher is the ratio of skin to insides. My mom always said the skin if the nutritious part, but checking the research, it seems a little overstated. On the other hand, antioxidants and obscure phytonutrients do concentrate there and that's my biggest nutritional concern, so maybe it's a partly fair claim. I suppose maybe the skin to inside ratio also means shorter time spent washing the tubers before cooking per unit of foodstuff, but I also like cooking tiny little potatoes uncut -- just rolling around in the skillet.

Anyway, I just saw someone talk about changing their growing conditions to get bigger tubers and it hadn't ever occurred to me to make that a goal. So I decided to see what you all think about it.

Big tubers or little? And any difference between your perspective in the field vs in the kitchen?

ETA: Or maybe for cellar storage? (I haven't noticed a difference...some tubers rot and maybe spoil adjacent tubers too, but small vs large doesn't seem to make a difference.
 
Anne Miller
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I am happy to get any size potato.

The last time I grew potatoes, I got fingerlings.

New potatoes are nice for cooking with green beans.

Nice big bakers are usually cut in half to split with dear hubby.

gift
 
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