Many varieties of potatoes suitable for various cooking methods grow all year round. Use in soups, stews, vegetable side dishes, frittatas, omelettes, scones and bread.

Varieties include:
Delaware: May have a gnarled, ugly appearance due to growing conditions, but cooks quite well
Nadine: Shiny, cream-skinned with shallow eyes and is available in gourmet sizes but has little flavour and due to high moisture content does not fry well
Ruby Lou: Pink-skinned with white flesh and good flavour that performs very well in all cooking
Desiree: Pink-skinned with yellow flesh and good flavour that performs quite well except in frying
Royal Blue: Long, oval-shaped with purple skin and yellowy flesh that performs extremely well in all cooking
Kestrel: Creamy white skin with pinkblue eyes and cream flesh, it cooks well in all areas, fries well and has good flavour
Carlingford: Creamy-white skin,white flesh, excellent flavour and is best boiled but also good in other ways except frying

Selection:
Choose unblemished potatoes with no visible scars, damage or greening.

Storage:
Remove from plastic bags and store alone in a cool, dark, dry place away from onions. A cardboard box or brown paper bag is ideal. Do not refrigerate or store for longer than necessary or potatoes will turn green and go soft. In either case, discard.

Cooking:
May be peeled or skins scrubbed and left on. Remove any green by peeling. If peeling, remove only the thinnest layer to prevent loss of nutrients. Boil or steam for 15-20 minutes, simmering until tender. Time is dependent on size of chunks. Fast boiling may cause potatoes to break up. Microwave in a covered dish with 2-3 tablespoons water on HIGH (100%) for 10-12 minutes, turning after 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. Time is dependent on size and quantity.

Serving suggestion:
For salads, add a little lemon juice or white vinegar to the water to preserve the colour.
For really crisp roast potatoes bring to the boil for
2-3 minutes just prior to roasting. Drain and brush with oil and cook in a hot oven.
For smooth mash, drain the cooked potatoes and toss over heat to remove moisture. Mash to remove lumps and add milk when smooth. Warm milk is best.