FOOD FACTS

Buying and Storing

Look for firm, dry, well-formed potatoes, free from bruises, dark spots, cuts, cracks and sprouted eyes. Avoid potatoes greened by in-store florescent lights. Store in root cellar or at 45 to 50°F (7 to 10°C), out of direct light. (Light can cause potatoes to turn green and sprout.) Loosely cover with clean burlap or ventilated plastic and ensure good air circulation. All potatoes must be kept dry. Handle sweet potatoes with particular care as they bruise easily.

Preparing

Ontario potatoes need only be scrubbed and checked for spots before using.

Long varieties have a dry, fluffy texture, are popular for baking, mashing and French-frying. Round whites and round reds are firm, waxier in texture and particularly good for boiling and steaming.

Yukon Gold are also good for mashing, baking and French frying.

Sweet potatoes, with a dense, moist, fluffy texture, are good baked, deep-fried, mashed and microwaved. (They may even be eaten raw, but seldom are.)

New potatoes are wonderful and are harvested in an immature state often while tops are still green. They skin easily and the thin flavorful skins should be boiled or steamed with the rest of the potato.

Hint: New potatoes retain good quality only for a week or so. They are better stored in the refrigerator.