Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
- diggernotdreamer
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Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
I grew Sarpo Mira and Axona the first year they were available for growing. They grew really well, huge tubers, smooth, slug free and best of all everyone else had blight except me. This was great until I tried to cook them, they defied all my efforts, boiling, chipping, roasting, even ages in the pressure cooker when they eventually exploded into a dry fluffy mess. They baked but they were so dry you couldn't eat them even with loads of butter. Even the chickens wouldn't eat them. That year there was a drought and there was no water anywhere on the allotments, so maybe the dry matter content of the potatoes was very high?
A friend has just given me some Sarpo Mira that she grew this year, heavy clay soil, loads of rain and they have behaved completely differently. I cooked some and they tasted ok, I would say a slighly grainy texture.
the first time really put me off, there are lots of different sorts now, anyone grown any and if so, what did you think of their flavour, cookability etc
A friend has just given me some Sarpo Mira that she grew this year, heavy clay soil, loads of rain and they have behaved completely differently. I cooked some and they tasted ok, I would say a slighly grainy texture.
the first time really put me off, there are lots of different sorts now, anyone grown any and if so, what did you think of their flavour, cookability etc
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
I agree the flavour and texture is underwhelming.
I have tried a quite a few of the varieties since they first became available a few years ago. Don't think I shall bother trying again unless they get a wonderful write up for flavour, as really that is what I have home grown potatoes for.
I grew Toluca a couple or three years ago, found it quite blight resistant with a good flavour, and that is on my list of regulars now.
I have tried a quite a few of the varieties since they first became available a few years ago. Don't think I shall bother trying again unless they get a wonderful write up for flavour, as really that is what I have home grown potatoes for.
I grew Toluca a couple or three years ago, found it quite blight resistant with a good flavour, and that is on my list of regulars now.
- citizentwiglet
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Yeah, they're not the tastiest spuds, are they? They roast OK, after parboiling them for about four months...but I agree they are grainy and flavourless.
I just grow earlies now, because I have limited room and grow in sacks; and earlies are the kind of thing I can't often afford / usually resent paying for. They are up and eaten usually before blight season starts. Can't do owt about the demon slugs, though....
I just grow earlies now, because I have limited room and grow in sacks; and earlies are the kind of thing I can't often afford / usually resent paying for. They are up and eaten usually before blight season starts. Can't do owt about the demon slugs, though....
I took my dog to play frisbee. She was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.
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- The Riff-Raff Element
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Grew something called Celtine this year. Very Celtic. Comes from Brittany and is full of weird standing stone energy or summit.
Anyway, planted them as close to the local ley line as was possible and was very pleased with what came along: a very tasty spud, good for both roasts and boiled use, good sized tubers and plenty of them. This is the first variety I've thought I'll definitely grow again.
Anyway, planted them as close to the local ley line as was possible and was very pleased with what came along: a very tasty spud, good for both roasts and boiled use, good sized tubers and plenty of them. This is the first variety I've thought I'll definitely grow again.
- citizentwiglet
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Do they have any magickal properties that you know of?
I took my dog to play frisbee. She was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
I like to believe they deter alligators. I've never seen one around here, which is suggestive.
- citizentwiglet
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Hhmmm. Interesting. I'd like to trial some to see if they repel the deadly Clyde freshwater crocodile.
Failing that, I would like to find something slugproof. I had a reasonable crop of Red Duke of York ( he loved it, fnar fnar) but the slugs demolished my Orlas.
Failing that, I would like to find something slugproof. I had a reasonable crop of Red Duke of York ( he loved it, fnar fnar) but the slugs demolished my Orlas.
I took my dog to play frisbee. She was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
We need a recipe for slugs, really.
- citizentwiglet
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Whittingstall tried it, didn't he? I thought they were poisonous. Or do you have to cleanse them out, like snails?
I took my dog to play frisbee. She was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.
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- diggernotdreamer
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
they give chickens gape
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
The French don't eat them, as far as I know, which is strongly suggestive of their lack of edibility in my book. I think they can carry liver fluke or something.citizentwiglet wrote:Whittingstall tried it, didn't he? I thought they were poisonous. Or do you have to cleanse them out, like snails?
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
I've found Salad Blue to be quite slug-resistant. Plus they seem quite versatile, and I like the fact that they stay purple even when you cook them.citizentwiglet wrote:Failing that, I would like to find something slugproof. I had a reasonable crop of Red Duke of York ( he loved it, fnar fnar) but the slugs demolished my Orlas.
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
- citizentwiglet
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
Brilliant, thanks Dunc!
I took my dog to play frisbee. She was useless. I think I need a flatter dog.
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
This all serves to remind me that - sod Christmas - it's nearly seed catalogue time!
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Re: Sarpo potatoes - anyone got any experiences
As my preferred variety (Golden Wonder) is a slug-magnet and our site has a thriving population of slugs, I intend to try Desiree next year, and Duke of York if I order them early enough.
Curently collecting recipes for The Little Book of Liqueurs..