British Queen Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
British Queen potatoes vary in size, depending on cultivation conditions and the time the tubers are harvested in the season. The variety averages 5 to 10 centimeters in length and 3 to 8 centimeters in diameter, and has a short, oval shape with blunt, curved ends. The tuber’s skin sometimes features a few bumps and shallow eyes that do not affect the overall shape. The skin is also thin, taut, firm, and lightly textured, showcasing variegated golden brown, tan, and white hues with dark brown markings. Underneath the surface, the white to ivory flesh is firm, dense, and moist when raw. Once cooked, the flesh becomes fluffy, tender, and floury. British Queen potatoes are known for their high dry matter content, which contributes to their light, fluffy consistency. The variety is only edible cooked and has a mild, subtly sweet, and earthy flavor.
Seasons/Availability
British Queen potatoes are harvested in the summer, typically between June through August, depending on the time of planting.
Current Facts
British Queen potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are an heirloom variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The mid-season tubers are favored for their mild flavor, fluffy texture, and neutral coloring as an everyday culinary cultivar. British Queen potatoes are often referred to as second earlies as they arrive in the mid-summer, and growers value the variety for its uniform, high yields, and dry rot resistance. The variety was released to commercial markets in the late 19th century and was grown across the United Kingdom as a multi-purpose cultivar. At the height of their popularity in the 20th century, British Queen potatoes were also known as Queens in Ireland. Despite their fame, the variety eventually faded from mainstream markets and became a rare, historical cultivar. In the modern day, British Queen potatoes are grown as a novelty and specialty variety, utilized in a wide array of savory cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
British Queen potatoes have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other white potatoes, the variety may be a source of iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, manganese to form connective tissues, and potassium to balance fluid levels within the body. Potatoes also provide fiber to regulate the digestive tract, calcium to protect bones and teeth, phosphorus to help the body make proteins, and other nutrients, including vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin K, zinc, and folate.
Applications
British Queen potatoes have a mild, earthy, and subtly sweet taste suited for cooked preparations. The variety is known for its high dry matter content, leading the flesh to sometimes expand when heated. This creates a starchier texture, which is favored for mashing. British Queen potatoes are often regarded as one of the best specialty varieties to make mashed potatoes in the United Kingdom. The variety is also popularly baked, steamed, roasted, or fried. British Queen potatoes have a versatile nature and can be used in any preparation calling for floury potatoes. In the United Kingdom, the potatoes are sometimes used in smashed, dauphinoise, and hasselback preparations. British Queen potatoes pair well with spices such as paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chile powder, herbs including cilantro, rosemary, thyme, and chives, parsnips, carrots, celeriac, green beans, and cauliflower. Whole, unwashed tubers will keep for a few weeks when stored in a cool and dark location. It is recommended to immediately consume the variety after purchase for the best quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
British Queen potatoes were created by Archibald Findlay, renowned Scottish potato breeder of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mr. Findlay created several famous cultivars throughout his career and was heavily influenced by the research of fellow potato breeder William Paterson on breeding blight-resistant varieties. My. Findlay began breeding potatoes in the 1870s and later wrote a book about potatoes in 1905 that is still in circulation, entitled “The Potato: Its History and Culture.” Many modern-day breeders still consider his book to be one of the most authoritative works on cultivating heirloom potatoes in home gardens. Outside of his book, Archibald Findlay is famous for breeding British Queen and Majestic potatoes. British Queen potatoes were one of the parent varieties to Majestic, a variety that became one of the most commercially grown varieties in the mid-20th century. Majestic potatoes had resistance to blight, the deadly potato disease, and were grown across England during World War I and II. During the wars, the variety was cultivated to feed troops and was also planted in home gardens as a family food source.
Geography/History
British Queen potatoes are native to the United Kingdom and were developed by well-known potato breeder Archibald Finlay. Much of the variety’s history is unknown, but some sources note that British Queen potatoes may have been bred from a cross between Paterson’s Victoria and Old Blue Don potatoes. British Queen potatoes were released for cultivation in 1894 and quickly spread as a cultivar for culinary purposes throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. Over time, the variety faded from production with the rise of improved potato cultivars and became a rare tuber. Today, British Queen potatoes are a specialty variety cultivated on a small-scale throughout the United Kingdom. The variety has seen a slow resurgence as an heirloom tuber and was given the Award of Garden Merit through the Royal Horticultural Society in the early 21st century. When in season, British Queen potatoes are sold for culinary purposes through local markets in the United Kingdom. The variety is also offered as seed potatoes through online nurseries and retailers. The British Queen potatoes featured in the photograph above were sourced through The Potato Shop and were grown on the Morghew Park Estate in Tenterden, Kent, England. The Potato Shop has been supplying restaurants, wholesalers, and consumers for over ten years, and at least twenty varieties of conventional, specialty, and heritage potato varieties are grown each year for culinary diversity.
