Potatoes

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Potatoes – the right ingredient for any dish

Numerous potato varieties suitable for a vast array of dishes are produced in Switzerland. Floury potatoes are sold in blue-colored packaging and are ideal for making mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin. Victoria, Osira and Belmonda are varieties that belong to the floury potato category.

Consumers will find waxy potatoes in green packaging. They are particularly good for making potato salad or boiled potatoes in the skin. Queen Anne and Annabelle are typical waxy potato varieties.

There are also specialty potatoes in brown-colored packaging: new potatoes or raclette potatoes, for example. When making french fries, rösti or roast potatoes, it’s best to reach for the red bags. The potato varieties in them – which include Victoria, Belmonda and Lady Felicia – are floury and well-suited for high cooking temperatures.

There are also potatoes that stand out for their color. Cheyenne and Laura potatoes have a red skin, and St. Gallen blue potatoes have blue flesh, making their products real eyecatchers.

Potatoes are traditionally beloved in Swiss cuisine. The Swiss eat around 45 kilograms of them per capita each year in a wide array of different forms ranging from potato chips and boiled potatoes in the skin to rösti and mashed potatoes.

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Variety galore

When it comes to cooking these «apples of the earth», as potatoes are known in some countries, there are many different ways to prepare them. Whether baked, boiled, steamed or roasted, potatoes are one of the most versatile of all foods and can be readily and tastily combined with almost any ingredient. Small quantities can also be cooked in the microwave with the skin on, making them even quicker to prepare than pasta or rice.

Potatoes are composed of 77% water and contain only 0.2% fat. Their carbohydrates consist mainly of starch, making them very filling. Potatoes also contain potassium and dietary fiber and are a key source of vitamin C.

With or without the skin

Whether potatoes can be eaten with the skin on will depend on the variety and the person concerned. The bitter substances contained in the skin are not usually a problem for adults. The potatoes should, however, be thoroughly washed and have any sprouts and green parts cut off them. Storage potatoes that are labelled «treated after harvest» should be peeled, but this is not usually a «risk» in a farm shop since the potatoes sold here are fresh and natural. And, with new potatoes, the tender skin is always safe to eat.

How to keep potatoes fresh

Potatoes should be stored in a cool and dark place. At storage temperatures below 4 degrees Celsius, the potato starch converts into sugar. As a result, the potatoes then taste unusually sweet. If the temperature is higher than 10 degrees Celsius, the tubers begin to germinate and become lumpy. Potatoes should also not be exposed to light. If they are, they turn green and produce the toxin solanine. Where this occurs, they should no longer be eaten.

So a lot of things have to fit for potatoes to be stored properly. In the past, there were special potato cellars for this purpose. Today, consumers often do not have a suitable place at home for storing potatoes over an extended period. For this reason, it is best only to buy as many potatoes as you can eat within two weeks and to keep them in the refrigerator. Those who always want to have a long-life potato product at home can fall back on frozen French fries, crisps, ready-to-eat rösti (fried grated potato) or mashed potatoes made from flakes.

Switzerland – a land of potatoes

Few Swiss people would say that potatoes are their favourite food. But they are undisputedly very popular and an integral part of our everyday lives. Potatoes are also extremely versatile. Each individual «apple of the earth» is characterised by its unique shape and the different varieties have very different tastes. Apart from varieties with red, yellow and blue skins, there are potatoes with white or yellow flesh and ones that are floury or waxy. Potatoes can also be prepared in many different ways. Whether sweet, sour or savoury, or as crisps, potatoes boiled in their skins, potato salad or potato pie – this nightshade vegetable offers a multitude of different tastes. And potatoes are always delicious. Each individual variety develops its best flavour when it comes straight from the farm!

Potatoes and natural medicine

Apart from being a popular food, potatoes also possess numerous healing properties. Many medicinal uses exist for potatoes in natural medicine, including hand packs for soft hands, sliced potatoes against dark circles under the eyes and potato masks for a firm skin.

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