Three Cheers! All in Favor of Local Potatoes

The first time we had locally-grown potatoes, we were blown away. These dusty, knobby, decided unsexy vegetables that we bought on a whim at the farmers market had actual flavor! And so creamy! Blah-tasting vehicles for cheese and bacon no longer, these taters are tops.

From the markets I’ve been to, local potatoes are usually the same price or cheaper than potatoes at the grocery store. Red-skinned waxy potatoes tend to be the most common, which is fine with me since they’re my favorite.

The potato season is long enough that you can almost find them year-round, especially if you have a winter farmers market in your area or can find a farm that offers a winter CSA. Potatoes store incredibly well, up to a few months, as long as you keep them cool and dry.

Definitely pick up a pound or two next time you see potatoes at the farmers market. Try just roasting them first so you can get the real taste and texture of the potato. But local potatoes can certainly be used in any recipe you normally need potatoes. They improve any dish they are a part of.

Have you ever tried locally-grown potatoes?

(Image: Emma Christensen)

Comments (7)

I too, LOVE red potatoes! So when at the grocery store the other day, I took a risk and skipped the Dole 5 lb bag of reds and went for a 5 lb bag of local whites instead. It helped that the local potatoes were half the price of the reds. :) We'll see how they taste - they are not russets, so they might even be quite waxy, which I love.

I love local potatoes; they seem to taste much earthier and creamier than others, particularly the red variety. When I lived in Florida, I ate some of the best potatoes -- all they required was a bit of s & p, and they were ready to go. I still think those that say 'meh, potatoes' are the ones who have yet to try a really good potato.

Just tried local potatoes for the first time (they came in a CSA box). Wow! They even smell more potatoey. Mine were a starchy variety.

I grow my own potatoes every summer, the growing season in AK isn't that long but I still end up with pounds of beautiful tasty spuds!!

I would love to find some local potatoes but they are so hard to find in Idaho...

This year we did a CSA from a farm in Wisconsin and occasionally utilized a vegetable delivery service from a farm in souther Minnesota and seriously, best potatoes we've ever had!

Agreed - I've been getting local (WA) yukon golds in my CSA and they're seriously fantastic.