Chapter 18 - Potatoes. Because we eat them often and have devised a great many ways of preparing them, starchy foods require extra study beyond that which we have given to other vegetables. In this chapter, we turn our attention primarily to the preparation of our most important vegetable, the potato. | Chapter 18 Potatoes Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved Potatoes For a large portion of the world’s peoples, starch is the mainstay of the diet. Starch supplies most of the day’s calories. In North America and Europe, the most important starches are: Potatoes Rice Pasta Bread Starches are present in nearly all of our meals. Understanding Potatoes The potato wasn’t widely used until the last half of the eighteenth century. An army pharmacist named Antoine-Auguste Parmentier began promoting its use. Botanically, the potato is a tuber: An enlarged underground stem with buds or eyes that become new shoots Potatoes are traditionally classified as: Starchy, low-moisture varieties Waxy, high-moisture varieties Understanding Potatoes Potatoes are classified according to their starch content. The amount of starch determines the use for which they are usually considered most suitable. Within each group is a range of starch and moisture content. . | Chapter 18 Potatoes Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved Potatoes For a large portion of the world’s peoples, starch is the mainstay of the diet. Starch supplies most of the day’s calories. In North America and Europe, the most important starches are: Potatoes Rice Pasta Bread Starches are present in nearly all of our meals. Understanding Potatoes The potato wasn’t widely used until the last half of the eighteenth century. An army pharmacist named Antoine-Auguste Parmentier began promoting its use. Botanically, the potato is a tuber: An enlarged underground stem with buds or eyes that become new shoots Potatoes are traditionally classified as: Starchy, low-moisture varieties Waxy, high-moisture varieties Understanding Potatoes Potatoes are classified according to their starch content. The amount of starch determines the use for which they are usually considered most suitable. Within each group is a range of starch and moisture content. Depends not only on the variety of potato but also on the growing and storage conditions. Types Types Understanding Potatoes Waxy potatoes High moisture; high sugar; low starch content Hold shape well when cooked Firm, moist texture Use for: Boiling whole; for salads; soups; hash browns Any preparation where the potato must hold its shape Types Understanding Potatoes 2. Mature or starchy potatoes Low moisture; low sugar; high starch content Light, dry and mealy when cooked Types: Russets or Idahos: long, regularly shaped potatoes with slightly rough skin All-purpose potatoes: not as dry and starchy as russets Irregularly shaped Less expensive than russets Suitable for most purposes, but not usually used for baking Varieties Understanding Potatoes New Potato Not all small potatoes are new potatoes. Not all new potatoes are small. Any potato harvested before it is mature, while leaves and stems are still green, is a new potato. They have a lower starch content and .
