Tag: russets

Potato Peel Challenge

by sharonedgemartin

I had only five things on my to-do list today, one priority item, three important items, and one with a question mark.  Guess which got done first!

Yesterday, I canned eight jars of my Pontiac Red potatoes.  I love this variety because they’re tasty and they reach maturity before the weather gets hellish in Oklahoma.  The smooth-skinned reds steam well, and they’re lovely cooked with green beans. They hold together when boiled.

I also grow russets. They, too, are good steamed, but I like the way they break down in soups.

The Pontiac Reds canned beautifully.  I was pretty sure they would.  What I didn’t know is if the russets would turn to goop in the canning jar.  I had to find out. The priorities could wait!

Russets are tricky in Oklahoma.  They take longer than the reds to mature, and it gets hot before they get much size on them. I harvested a lot of small russets.

Anyway,  I had a question to answer and a lot of small potatoes to peel.

The first thing I realized is it takes much longer to peel a lot of little potatoes than it does a few big ones.  There’s also more waste, because the ratio of peel to potato is greater in the small ones. Little potatoes are harder to hold on to when you’re going to town with the peeler.  But I got the job done.

It was worth the effort. Canned baby russets look beautiful in the jar.

I’m thinking that next year it might be a good idea to get the russets in the ground in January or February, maybe under a thick coat of straw.  But that’s an experiment for another day.  Today, I’ve got to tackle a few more things on my to-do list.

Root Soup

by sharonedgemartin

After an art show weekend on the road, and an icy road, to boot, I needed comfort food today. Although I usually follow an 8-hour diet, I welcomed us home with breakfast.  My girls lay eggs even in winter, so I fried some of them up in a little local butter.

In return for their gifts, I cleaned and refilled all their water founts, put fresh hay in coops and runs, and treated them to a mealworms-and-milo snack.  When they’re happy, I’m happy.

Because it is still icy outside, I made a big pot of root soup for lunch.  The roots on hand were yellow onion, orange carrots, and russet potatoes.  I didn’t puree, but the russets break down pretty well.  I seasoned them with a little salt and Penzey’s Sunny Paris.  I added a bit of ham toward the end. Delicious!  And there’s plenty left for tomorrow.

Food can hurt or heal. I pay attention to what goes in our bowls and on our plates.  But sometimes, it is comfort one requires.

Stay warm and well fed, my friends.  And even on wintry days like this, get up and move around.  Movement, too, gives comfort.