New potatoes. Shop vs home grown

[Marc]

Have any of you wondered why or how supermarket new spuds have tough skins, whereas home grown ones have soft skins that rub off easily?
Perhaps one of you knows how they do this?
I have a theory, but it's hard to find any concrete information on the internet.

[ina]

I suppose if they were truly new spuds, i.e. immature, they wouldn't stand all the handling that's necessary to get them into the supermarket - so really, they aren't "new", but just a smallish kind of an early variety. (Just guessing here!) Never thought about it, to be honest, as that's not something I would ever consider buying!

[Green Aura]

I think ina's pretty much nailed it. I'm sure you used to be able to get real new potatoes from the supermarket - or maybe I'm harking back to getting them from the corner shop.

We didn't have a spud patch at home, Dad wouldn't spare them room, so my mother used to plant a couple of buckets - probably only a few meals worth. So we must have bought some from a shop.

[Odsox]

I agree with Ina, they're not "new" potatoes at all, they are what we used to call "chats", spuds that are too small to be any use other than pig food. I've noticed them in supermarkets over the years and was impressed how marketing gurus managed to fool gullible shoppers into paying good money for something that used to be worthless.
New potatoes on the other hand dehydrate quickly due to their thin skins and would be withery after a day or two and would be difficult to sell. True new potatoes used to be packed in damp peat to stop that happening, but wouldn't be allowed now as all vegetables have to be washed.
It's sad really, there are whole generations of people who have never tasted freshly dug, minted new potatoes, freshly picked peas and all the other garden delights we here take for granted.

[diggernotdreamer]

I can't remember the last time I saw Jersey Royals in the shops, perhaps they don't have them in Ireland, they were traditionally the first new potatoes in the shops and were always a bit dirty with soft skins, most early spuds are not ready until about July so anything that is around now are probably, harvested in Egypt or some other far flung place, they call them new season potatoes I have noticed. I am harvesting potatoes from mid May, but they grow in my polytunnel from a late January planting and I cosset them along covering them with thick blankets of fleece and bubble wrap if frost threatens, I can't see commercial growers doing that. I have just started selling new potatoes and it is amazing how people rush to buy mine over the other offerings in the supermarket, I don't think potatoes these days are that great, I have even seen green and fully sprouting potatoes for sale in their plastic bags, I am so glad I have my own spuds and don't have to rely on the rubbish in the shops

[diggernotdreamer]

[quote="Odsox"
New potatoes on the other hand dehydrate quickly due to their thin skins and would be withery after a day or two and would be difficult to sell. True new potatoes used to be packed in damp peat to stop that happening, but wouldn't be allowed now as all vegetables have to be washed.

This is true, I sell mine with the dirt on and people love them

[doofaloofa]

[quote="Odsox"] was impressed how marketing gurus managed to fool gullible shoppers into paying good money for something that used to be worthless./quote]

Like whey used to be only fit for pigs, but now all the sports people/gym bunnies eat it

[Green Aura]

It's sad really, there are whole generations of people who have never tasted freshly dug, minted new potatoes, freshly picked peas and all the other garden delights we here take for granted.

I agree, apart from the mint part.

[ina]

A long time ago, when I worked on a dairy farm, they used to feed all the small tatties to the cows. They'd never even thought of trying them themselves, until I came and showed them how delicious they were, especially cooked with their skins on (which they never did, at all), and then fried in a little butter...

Poor cows had to go without from then on. :)

[diggernotdreamer]

I have just been in the local shop and lo and behold, there are some bags of 'baby' potatoes for 1 euro a bag, they are starting to sprout and a lot of them are green as you like, I can't believe people are buying these, they are so obviously last years spuds, no sign of any new season potatoes at all