21 June 2008

WTF? Pink Fir Apple




Common Name:
Salad potato
Genus: Solanum Species: tuberosum
Cultivar: 'Pink Fir Apple'

Skill Level: Beginner
Exposure: Full sun Hardiness: Hardy
Soil type: Well-drained/light, Clay/heavy, Moist, Sandy
Height: 75cm Spread: 75cm

Salad potato varieties can be first or second earlies, or maincrops as with 'Pink Fir Apple'. They all share qualities of fine flavour and waxy texture whether eaten hot or cold. They tend to be smaller and lower yielding than other kinds, and respond to heavy dressings of compost or rotted manure before planting, which will improve yields considerably.

'Pink Fir Apple' is one of the oldest varieties, with a creamy flesh that is particularly tasty when cold. It is the last to mature, and is lifted and stored in the same way as other maincrops.




Not an apple but certainly a 'pomme de terre' (apple from the ground), a Pink Fir Apple potato. Purchased today at Gasworks Park Farmers Market from farmer Gordon Jones who grows
Asparagus, certified Seed Potatoes and raises Beef Cattle. He is also a producer and tireless marketer of a particularly fine pickled asparagus, under the name Sweet Tips Gippsland Gourmet - think crisp, sweet and sour gherkin with asparagus flavour.


I only ever buy Gordon's spuds. Others don't seem to have the depth of flavour and most definitely don't keep as well as his do. Today I bought the PFA's and Royal Blues, as he had just run out of the lovely Knox potatoes that he introduced me to earlier in the season. But it's OK, I have enough starch to last until I see him next. I've also bought produce from Gordon and his family at the Collingwood Children's Farm Market on the second Saturday of the month.


There's nothing like a spot of rude food for a giggle. Thanks Gordon...

...and here's a sample of what the English are saying about spuds this week in The Guardian:

Blether2
Comment No. 1170845
June 19 16:03

I was going to say something really rude.

Get some potatoes.

Cook them.

Fuck.

Then, eat the potatoes.

Ummm... that's it.




Gasworks Farmers Market, third saturday of the month
Gasworks Park, Pickles Street, Port Melbourne

GR & LR Jones
RMB 2280 Bullswamp Road, Warragul, Victoria, Australia



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pink Fir Apples are a particularly rude, variety, I find.

stickyfingers said...

Crikey Zoe you found an absolute rip-snorter - :p! The Camel toe spud of yours reminds me of Mr Stickyfinger's new knix, those super padded lycra shorts you wear for long distance cycling. They hide his nads and seem to reverse his gender ;)

Hope you feel better soon.

Zoe said...

There was this terrible moment when I had to stop myself rooting through the spuds to find the rudest one!

And much better thanks. I'm saving up one of those cycle pants pictures for a sausage post ;)