I went to the White Mill Farm Shop yesterday, because they have this sign out front that says "Freshly Dug Potatoes From Our Own Farm". And by "fresh" potatoes, this time of year, they mean new potatoes.
I was curious: Why are they called "new"? Is it just a name, like "red" or "Idaho"? The lovely woman who works there explained: These potatoes are, in fact, new. They were only planted in February. This is why new potatoes are small, their skin is so tender, and why they're so delicious. They are the earliest of the season and a late-spring/early-summer treat.
On the other hand, the potatoes you see with thick, tough skin stay in the ground until Fall and are what we store and eat all winter.
She advised that the best new potatoes are the smallest ones, if you're patient enough to wash them. So, I dug through the box and picked the smallest ones I could find. Then, I took them home and — in what is probably a serious offense to British cooking — barbecued them to perfection.
She advised that the best new potatoes are the smallest ones, if you're patient enough to wash them. So, I dug through the box and picked the smallest ones I could find. Then, I took them home and — in what is probably a serious offense to British cooking — barbecued them to perfection.
Officially, I should have boiled them and served them with butter, but I couldn't. I will do it at some point, though. They taste amazing that way, too.
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