Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

I’ve not had a decent baked potato in Canada since I arrived. The potatoes here seem very mealy and dry. I had one in England and thought it was loaded with butter it was so delicious but there was nothing on it.

Am I buying them from the wrong place or cooking them wrong? Anyone else noticed this?

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Potatoes were invented in Ireland and the UK is quite close so I think that's why they're excellent but Canada is a very long way away so it's probably why they're not very good at them. Have you tried spaghetti
as an alternative? With some nice sauce it can be very tasty.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Maybe you have to sneak over the border to Idaho which is famous for it's spuds!

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

I find Russets can often be very dry. Reds are my favourite and are "officially" versatile.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

It's not the potatoes, it's the ovens. You're used to having them baked British-style at 220V, and they don't come out the same in Canada because they've only got 110V. If you really want proper baked potatoes you should bring your old UK oven and get a transformer.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Just like in the UK, produce varies where you buy it. Here Superstore and Walmart have the worst produce. Your best bet is to go to an actual produce store to get the nicest potatoes, here we have Kin’s Farm Market which is pretty good. I agree about russets being dry, might be better to try Yukon Gold or Kennebec (though the latter can be harder to find)

Personally I microwave my potatoes (5mins at 70% power, turn potato over and repeat) and they taste pretty much the same to me.

Stoves in Canada also run on 220V, just like clothes dryers they have a special 220V circuit and outlet. It’s just regular outlets that are 110V, so I think you are confused here, unless you mean toaster ovens, but no off the shelf transformer is going to be able to handle that high of a power draw anyway.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Jacket potatoes are great, as not only is the flesh tasty and nutritious, unlike burger style restaurants you can eat the wrapping. In this era of liquid modernity and fear, these things can be quite comforting. As to the oven controversy, I sidestep that issue by cooking my jacket potatoes in a campfire.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

The more pertinent problem seems to be finding large spuds to bake in the first place. Here, the general bags of potatoes consist of all small ones, none large enough to bake. Alternatively you can buy a shrink-wrapped pack of 4 decent sized spuds already wrapped in foil for an easy $4.99 or so. My, that nice Mr Weston looks after us, doesn't he?

I buy the 15lb bag of Russets from Costo which are all big enough to bake and also seem to do Ok mashed or cut up smaller and roasted to go with les roastbif. They come from Quebec but of course at this end of the country, PEI is pretty much an entirely potato based economy. That and Anne of Green Gables.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Be fair...he did back down at the public outcry about 50% off pink labels dropping to 30% :lol:

Who would win?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...8a165e45db.png

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

But now, if you are insured by Manulife, you have to get your cancer drugs through loblaws pharmacies rather than the local operation you've been dealing with for years. Courtesy of preferred pharmacy arrangements (just like 'merka), manulife and that damn Galen Weston again...

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

This is not a Canada problem. This is a "you're buying the wrong potato at the wrong store" problem.

Or it could be a Canada problem, depending on where you are in Canada. Some parts of Canada aren't well serviced by local farms due to a host of reasons. Many parts of Canada only offer large supermarket chains which typically import rubbish industrial potatoes from the US. If you want quality potatoes, you source them locally from local farmers (or from stores that source their produce from local farms), ideally when in season, not from supermarkets that import potatoes that have been sitting in warehouses for an eternity. Generally Russet potatoes are the latter and generally taste and feel like dust. A locally-grown potato from a local farm is vastly superior.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Or the OP needs to remember to actually cook the spuds!

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

I'm and American married to a Canadian so in Canada often. The best potatoes, even surpassing Idaho potatoes, are grown in PEI and New Brunswick. Love the texture and taste of these spuds. Of course they are best if purchased straight from the farm and not the supermarket.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Potatoes originated in South America, not in Ireland.

Where is the potato originally from? The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes. It was cultivated in South America by the Incas as early as 1,800 years ago. The Spaniards who colonized South America introduced potatoes into Europe during the second half of the 16th century.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Didn't you just know it.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/fo...ato-all-wrong/

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Another high-brow poll by The Scum in that article:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...780dc4319f.png

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Potatoes came originally from Peru and where imported to Europe from there,

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

You'd think by now people would understand Oink and his ways

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

You'd think by now people would understand Oink and his ways

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Oink is still the unofficial title holder of best post ever :rofl:

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

We can get Idaho potatoes in the UK now, not fresh ones, but dried flakes, either plain or flavoured. Home - Perfect Mash - Idahoan Foods LLC. They are available in Morrisons at least, I've had some, and they were good, useful for a single person, I made a full packet up, used what I wanted and the rest is in the deep freeze.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Flakes? They're powder here. Absolutely fine.
I remember decades ago Yeoman instant mash packets were flakes.

I like to make instant mash into a volcano and drop a fried egg into the crater. :lol:

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Always right on the ball, our Oink :lol:

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Wait till the OP tries the cheese and sausages!

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

See also: tea bags, bacon, etc

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

I've been living back in the UK for the last few months after 7 years in Canada and this thread title made me laugh out loud!

Myself and the other half have spent the last couple of months eating chunky M&S or Tesco chips and exclaiming "OMG! The flavour of the potatoes is amazing!". Ditto for jacket spuds, roast potatoes etc.

Oh man, I missed Maris Piper potatoes so much. Honestly, somebody could make a killing in the Canada grocery business if they started supplying Maris Piper.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Interesting. I have had some delicious Warba potatoes from Fresh Street market and fingerling potatoes from Kins Farm Market. They’re not really any more expensive either. I think you can get some really amazing produce here, if you know where to look.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Ahh... also interesting. So you're in BC? I think this might be part of the difference between western and eastern Canada. Distance is so vast that they may as well be different countries, eh?

I've been living in Ontario and Québec where the potatoes are mostly "meh". I don't doubt that you've got some better options out west :-)

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

I completely agree. Also have you tried the Albert Bartlett potatoes from Sainsbury’s? When you have them mashed they are so delicious you don’t even need butter on them​​​​​� ��.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

On the subject of best threads ever, this classic is always worth revisiting: Parrot to Canada - British Expats

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

:thumbup:
I don't recall seeing that before.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Added to my list. Thanks!

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Yeah looks like that might be part of it!

https://www.fruitandveggie.com/warba...al-spud-13955/

The produce in BC is really good, we're also pretty serious about protecting farmland from development, which helps (though contributes to higher housing prices).

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

There's also the longer growing season in (coastal) BC. Not sure if that has to do with it, but it must? Folks forget that most of Canada has a similar growing season as Siberia. Coastal BC has a similar growing season as the UK.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Interesting, that's a great point. Makes you realize how important it is to protect the farmland we have in BC since this climate and land quality is so scarce.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Brilliant! Despite my grumpy resistance to mixing with fellow Brits...this thread is one reason why I love our people so much. My answer to this (which I agree) is to grow whatever variety that pleases you...but when I asked a rural Canadian who similarly has grown vegetables all their life "What early potato variety would you recommend for a waxy type?" and get a 'gone out' look and a "what did you call them?" response...you know you are lost, waxy or floury...the main types, early or new vs, late or maincrop spuds (remember the chippies with signs reading "new potatoes". He suggested fingerling potatoes but they were rubbish and disintegrated when I made hodgepodge with them (typical maritime Summer stew)

I know the potato originally came from the Americas but it seems like we have taken the potato to another level. The varieties are quite different here. I like Red Pontiacs for Summer maincrop and Russets for Autumn, Yukon Gold and the Kennebecs for early salad or 'new' potatoes. Grew 90lbs this year even though we were in a drought. Apparently PEI is Canada's version of Jersey but really the sandy red soil doesn't have the nutrients to give the potatoes the same flavour. Not a patch.

JamesM cheese and sausages, indeed :lol: and I'm in Nova Scotia and the only decent manufacturer in my region stopped making black pudding last year so am miffed. The local butcher hates making it so it shows in the product...tried it once only. I might have to add pigs to my list of livestock.I mean no black pudding in mainland Nova Scotia let alone white pudding? What's going on? I can't even recall seeing it in Cape Breton. I did see a supplier making Larne sausage, Lincolnshire sausages etc. but not shipping East.

Stream of consciousness and cathartic release :blink:

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Cheese and Sausages

Moved for the children

The two pillars that held this place together for so long.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

This is the solution:

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

Sorry to bring back a post from a ling time ago, but I've only just come across this thread. Potatoes were NOT invented in England or Ireland, but are originally from South America, the original ones were dark purple from Peru.

Re: Why are the potatoes so rubbish?
 

You said the same thing (actually mentioning Peru) back in post #17 and were answered in duplicate......

I believe the Rt.Hon.Oink is referring, not to the original nationality of the vegetable, but of the formulation for its use as a veritable wonderfood.

I have had three different forms of potato in the same meal (mashed, roast and as bread). Nobody experiencing the potato farl, as part of a full Irish, could accept any other nations claim of culinary superiority!