What's up with Michigan potatoes this year?

[charlesbois]

Michigander here, so I always try to buy Michigan potatoes when I see them in the store. I've gotten 2 bags this fall from 2 different producers. Both times it has taken FOREVER to cook the potatoes. Usually I boil quartered potatoes for about 25 - 30 minutes with a nice amount of salt. These last 2 batches I've had to go 45 minutes, and still haven't gotten the tenderness I desired. Is it a bad year for potatoes? =

[grouper]

Funny you should mention this as I bought some at the Ann Arbor farmers market a few weeks ago...they were small Yukon's...think cherry tomato sized. Anyway I boiled them for over 20 minutes and some were complete much while others were barely cooked. Had to chuck the whole batch as it was one way or the other...neither good. Thought it was just my luck.

[momskitchen]

My guess is some of your potatoes were bigger than the others that you bought at the market, and the bigger ones were the ones that took longer.

[grouper]

Thanks for the input, but the were all basically the same size. Which is why I bought them...son likes them small. It's ok I'll still buy again, but maybe I'll inspect them more as some had a green tinge to them...as in not ripe enough. Could that be? Anyway, it was probably more that than anything else.

[gooddog]

Green in potatoes does not mean they are unripe, but rather is chlorophyll that has developed with exposure to light or heat. Light/heat exposure also causes a toxic compound called solanine to develop. So to be safe, always cut any green parts away, or if the potatoes are green-tinged throughout, throw them out. The toxin can also concentrate in the sprouts, so be sure to cut those away too. And always store your potatoes in a cool dark area.

[grouper]

Wow, I did not know that. Thanks!

[RedTop]

Not intending to hijack this thread, but I remember when Better Made Potato Chips used to have a fair amount of chips per bag, that had that chlorophyll tinge on them.

[gooddog]

I occasionally get a bag like that still; I just break off the green bits. Tiny amounts shouldn't have much effect; I think I read you would have to eat a baking-size all-green potato to feel seriously ill. And this isn't a major health issue - no one's died in the US from potato poisoning for 50+ years.

[RedTop]

Years ago I bought Michigan potatoes to boil for mashed, and Idaho potatoes to bake.

Today...I only buy Idaho for all use.

[momskitchen]

I only buy Michigan potatoes. My guess is that the potatoes you just bought have not been stored long, because the potato harvest is just wrapping up, so it takes them longer to cook.

[boagman]

Hmm. Don't know anything about them taking longer to cook, but I just had some white Michigan potatoes on Friday, and they were *fabulous*. Worth whatever time they took to cook.