An annual crop that is quite easy to work with, very productive, and easily adapts to different climates and geographical areas.
We are talking about the potato, scientific name Solanum tuberosum , an agricultural product belonging to the Solanaceae family that fears only excessively cold or excessively hot environmental conditions.
This means that the potato planting period remains among the longest in the year, with slight variations dictated by the climatic characteristics of the area in which you choose to grow, and by those specific to the type of potato selected.
The growing cycle of potatoes starting from seed is 5-6 months, but if you choose to start from seed potatoes you can proceed to harvesting within 3-5 months , a feature that makes this option even easier for processing the tuber.
The relative simplicity with which potatoes can be grown, the many existing varieties and the goodness of the food make this plant one of the first choices for those who are just starting out in horticulture, and a productive and satisfying crop even for those who are already accustomed to managing a small plot of land.
But what are the best seed potatoes?
What are the differences between yellow, red, white, purple potatoes?
How to choose among the countless types of tubers available?
How to select the most suitable variety for the culinary uses that interest you most?
Read on to discover Millstore’s top 4 seed potato varieties and expert advice.
- Yellow Seed Potatoes: How to Choose Them and How to Use Them in the Kitchen
- Red Potatoes: Varieties, Characteristics and Uses in the Kitchen
- White Flesh Seed Potatoes: Varieties and How to Cook Them Well
- Purple Potatoes: Properties and Benefits of the "Health-Saving" Tuber
1. Yellow Seed Potatoes: How to Choose Them and How to Use Them in the Kitchen
The classic yellow-fleshed potato is part of the deepest roots of Italian culinary tradition.
There are many varieties of yellow potatoes that you can find, but they all have some key characteristics in common :
- Versatility in the kitchen
- High potassium levels
- High vitamin C content
- Lots of complex carbohydrates, which makes them valuable for diabetics
The intense golden color of this category of seed potatoes means that the tubers belonging to it are highly appreciated not only for their generally delicate and pleasant taste, but also for an aesthetic factor , which should not be underestimated in the most refined and gourmet cuisine.
Among the yellow-fleshed potatoes available at Millstore you can find many varieties, different in harvest period (early or late), production volume, and specific uses in the kitchen.
Early yellow-fleshed potato varieties
Among the early yellow-fleshed potatoes, that is, the varieties that can be harvested 3-4 months after sowing , we find different types that, although similar in cultivation methods, can be divided according to their use in the kitchen.
If you want versatility at the table
If you are looking for multipurpose potatoes, suitable for any type of preparation , we find: the Bernadette potato, with excellent yield and an intense, sweet flavour, the Frieslander and Jaerla potatoes, the French Marine, Servane and Safrane,the Primura potato , and the Volumia.
The Servane variety is distinguished by a delicate but easily recognizable hazelnut flavor , which makes it a favorite of great chefs.
Potatoes for mashing, gnocchi, baking or frying
The seed potatoes with the most floury texture, perfect for making mashed potatoes, gnocchi and excellent for baking or frying, are the Agata variety, very delicate, the Liseta potato, the VitaBella Plus variety, Marabel and Marabel Biologica, with high yields and an intense golden yellow pulp.
The Spunta , very early, is the classic new potato.
Potatoes for salads and stews
If you are looking for firm potatoes, with smooth and compact flesh, to prepare salads or stews, you should choose the Blondine Yellow varieties, with excellent yields in cultivation, the Inova potato, or the Triplo and Triplo Biologica, excellent plants for organic cultivation , thanks to the plant's natural ability to resist disease.
Or opt for the Connect Biologica 35/55 variety, which never overcooks, or the Fabula, with a bright colour and moist, creamy texture.
Late and semi-late season yellow potatoes
Potatoes to be harvested 4-5 months after sowing , even for late yellow-fleshed potatoes the choice is vast.
The Jelly German, a high-yielding crop with an intense and unmistakable flavour, is creamy but very versatile , as are the Amany potato, the Capucine, the Penelope and the Sylvana variety.
The Draga, Agria and Agria Biologica 35/55 types are more suitable for preparing gnocchi and puree, thanks to their more floury and grainy texture.
The Agria potato, like the Capucine variety, is also characterized by an intense color that can make any dish more interesting and pleasing to the eye, a characteristic that makes them among the favorite varieties of chefs.
For preparing salads, baked or fried potatoes , choose the Monalisa and the Monalisa Biologica 50/55, a potato with firm flesh also suitable for boiling, or the Bintje potato, which stands out when fried.
Or the Organic Charlotte, with exceptional cooking resistance, and the Cicero variety.
2. Red potatoes: varieties, characteristics and uses in the kitchen
Seed potatoes with red flesh and/or skin have a more interesting, aromatic and decisive flavour than classic yellow flesh potatoes, and allow the creation of much more refined dishes also in terms of aesthetics.
The color of the skin and pulp of these potatoes allows you to give dishes a delicate or more intense red color, perfect for highlighting gourmet creations .
Red potatoes also have a rather high content of anthocyanins and lycopenes, powerful natural antioxidants , which make this type of seed potato valuable also on a nutritional level.
Red potatoes for all recipes
Among the most prized varieties we find the Mulberry Beauty Potato , Dutch and with red skin and pulp, suitable for all preparations but asks to be the star of the dish.
Its flavour, halfway between potato and chestnut, is in fact one of the most particular.
Other types of seed potatoes that are very versatile in the kitchen are the Kuroda Rossa, which boasts abundant production in cultivation, the Mozart Rossa, the Stemster Rossa and the Sunred Rossa, the earliest of the varieties indicated.
Red potatoes as a side dish, for frying or for baked dishes
The Zoe Germicopa variety is delicious and with notes reminiscent of chestnuts, it is suitable for preparing fried potatoes, baked potatoes, but also for purees and creams , thanks to its smooth pulp.
The Cherie Rossa, on the other hand, with its strong flavour, is a semi-early variety that is best when baked, or in cold dishes and salads.
The best type for making perfect fried foods isthe Desirée Rossa potato , and the Desirée Biologica 50/60 version, also excellent in boiled dishes and easy to store even for long periods.
This variety is also recommended if you want to approach the organic cultivation of seed potatoes, since the plant has excellent resistance to parasites and diseases.
3. White Flesh Seed Potatoes: Varieties and How to Cook Them Well
White-fleshed seed potatoes are preferred for specific uses at the table such as the preparation of gnocchi, purees, pies and flans , for example, and for all dishes that require creamy potato-based doughs.
The reason? The white-fleshed potato is the richest in starch, sugar which makes the pasta softer and flourier .
Among the Millstore proposals you can find the French variety Daifla, medium late and with yellow skin, high yield and very easy to store.
Not only that: the Daifla potato plant is also naturally resistant to mold and disease , and is therefore an excellent choice for organic cultivation.
Daifla potato has an excellent flavor and is also suitable for steaming or frying.
A potato with similar storage, productivity and resistance characteristics, but with even lighter flesh is the Kennebec potato , a medium-late variety of American origin.
Do you want to surprise with a potato that is very special in shape, consistency and taste? Choose the Ratte seed potato, also called butter potato.
With white flesh and a very thin skin that can be removed even just by rubbing it with your fingers, the Ratte potato is excellent when eaten whole, without being peeled, and has a delicious and unique flavour that is similar to the taste of hazelnuts .
In the kitchen it is particularly appreciated boiled or fried, stewed or in salad.
The Ratte potato also has important nutritional properties : it contains high quantities of potassium and has a vasodilatory action, and can help lower blood pressure.
4. Purple potatoes: properties and benefits of the "health-saving" tuber
Purple potatoes are gaining popularity thanks to the substances they contain, which are invaluable for health and responsible for the purple color of this type of tuber .
These varieties are in fact particularly rich in anthocyanins, antioxidant plant pigments also present in good quantities in red potatoes, which help to combat cellular aging.
The best variety of purple potato for organoleptic characteristics and yield is the Bergerac potato , Dutch, it is a semi-wild potato extremely resistant to disease and drought with a floury texture, excellent for preparing gnocchi and puree with an unmistakable flavour and colour .
For the same culinary destinations choose the Dutch Blue Star : electric purple color and creamy but firm pulp, it produces dumplings that hold up very well to cooking.
Or the ancient variety of the Andes Vitelotte, or "Viola della Tuscia", with a soft and sweet texture.
Instead, choose the French Gaiane if you want to make amazing French fries.
Very versatile purple potatoes in the kitchen are the French Fleur Bleue, and another Dutch one, the Violet Queen .
How to choose seed potatoes: trust the Millstore experts
As you have seen, there are many varieties of seed potatoes to choose from , differing in color, flavor, use in cooking, and harvest time.
Some types are more suitable for organic cultivation, others guarantee more abundant harvests, still others are suitable for the production of tubers that are easy to store for a long time.
If you are unsure which quality to choose for your garden, contact Millstore experts .
You will receive tailored advice on all the varieties in the catalog, from sowing periods to cultivation methods, up to the most delicious uses to bring your harvest to the table.
1 comment
Buongiorno, cortesemente vorrei informazioni sulla patata daifla il suo ciclo di coltivazione quanto dura e se é adatta alle temperature della pianura padana e che concimazione richiede. Grazie