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A recent thread about potatoes

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Forum Editor

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 6:28PM

got me think about something that has puzzled me for a while. Perhaps one of our potato farming forum members knows the answer.

Jersey Royals.

When I was but a stripling, and Forum Editing was not even a gleam in my eye, I used to look forward to the Jersey Royal season. Those delicious little kidney shaped tubers that came coated with a fine layer of Jersey dust were a delight, boiled with their skins on and generously anointed with butter. You could make a meal of the waxy little beauties.

Now I see bags labelled 'Jersey Royal potatoes', but the contents are not Jersey Royals - they're very ordinary looking, and tasting, rather floury things. From Jersey they may be, but Royals they are not.

What's up doc?

I know the story of how Jersey Royals came about, by the way, I just want to know what happened to them.

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canarieslover

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:04PM

Probably like our royalty, gradually getting watered down with intermarriage with commoners. I know what you mean about the taste, unforgettable.

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Al94

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:13PM

Maybe your mother was better at cooking potatoes than you are! I had a conversation with an old Donegal farmer this morning who told me that people dont know how to cook spuds properly now. I must admit I glazed over part way through his description but it involved a saucepan covered with a cloth rather than a lid and the potatoes being taken from the pot when there was still a "bite" in the middle of them then left to finish off in a cloth covered bowl. He insisted they would not be floury cooked like this - but there was a lot more to it!

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john bunyan

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:19PM

Forum Editor

This link may be of interest. http://ecologic.eu/download/projekte/1800-1849/1802/jerseyroyalpotatoes.pdf

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john bunyan

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:21PM

Sorry here it is

http://ecologic.eu/download/projekte/1800-1849/1802/jerseyroyalpotatoes.pdf

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wee eddie

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:34PM

FE, I agree with you, I'm certain that you're not mistaken.

They are using a higher cropping variety.

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Strawballs

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:55PM

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MAJ

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 7:57PM

Not sure about Jersey Royals as I don't think I've ever tasted them, but during the school holidays (many years ago) as well as snedding turips and snuffing strawberries to earn an extra bit of pocket money, we used to gather spuds for the local farmer. During our break we used to retire to the barn for a cuppa and a sarnie, in there the farmer graded the spuds we gathered on some machine or other, were the smaller spuds fell through a vibrating grate, hence separating them from the larger spuds. My Point? Don't they do that anymore? Anytime I buy potatoes in the supermarket, they're all mixed in the bag, little ones and big ones, I hate that.

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Bingalau

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 8:46PM

I think nowadays it may be a matter of luck. A couple of weeks ago I bought some potato's described as Jersey Royals from Morrisons. They were clean and when scraped the skin fell away from them just like in the old days. We had them boiled for about ten minutes in salted water and covered with a generous whack of butter. Absolutely delicious, they brought back memories of many years ago. I went to get some more last week but sadly they were not available.

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Bingalau

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 8:49PM

I wonder if they would have been nicer with tinned tomato's. also from a recent thread.. I've put this bit separate so the FE can delete it.

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Autoschediastic

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Posted June 6, 2011 at 9:12PM

FE i dont have a clue but the way uve just explained them has almost tempted me to go and buy some! but im on a diet lol You ever thought about selling cars? :-)

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