Foxton Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Foxton potatoes vary in size, depending on the growing environment and age at harvest, but are generally medium to large tubers with a uniform, oval shape. The tubers showcase blunt, curved ends and some are short and thick while others can be slightly longer. Foxton potatoes bear semi-thin, smooth, and firm skin, covered in flaky patches and spots of rough netting, giving the surface a lightly textured, raised appearance. The skin also features a few shallow eyes that do not affect the shape of the tuber and a muted, red-pink coloring. Underneath the skin, the pale-yellow flesh is dense, slippery, and hard when raw with a high dry matter content. The tubers must be cooked before consumption and develop a fluffy, soft, floury, and creamy consistency after heating. Foxton potatoes are a balanced variety and have a mild, subtly sweet, earthy, nutty, and savory flavor once cooked.
Seasons/Availability
Foxton potatoes are typically planted in the spring and are harvested in the summer through early fall, between July and September.
Current Facts
Foxton potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are an English variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The tubers are a maincrop type favored for their growth characteristics, flavor, and culinary versatility. Foxton potatoes were developed through the famous PBI Cambridge breeding program in England in the 20th century and are a popular home garden and specialty commercial variety. Growers value the plants for their high yields, disease resistance, and uniform tubers. The red-skinned and yellow flesh potatoes are considered an all-purpose or all-rounder variety, leaning slightly more floury in texture, and are utilized in a wide array of savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Foxton potatoes have not been studied for their nutritional properties. Potatoes, in general, are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and calcium to protect bone and teeth formation. Potatoes also provide vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin K to support overall heart health, manganese to help the body produce energy, and other nutrients, including folate, niacin, and vitamin B6. It is important to note that each potato variety will vary in nutritional content and the cooking method also affects the levels and values of some vitamins and minerals.
Applications
Foxton potatoes have an earthy, mild, nutty, and subtly sweet taste suited for cooked preparations. Potatoes must be cooked before use and Foxton potatoes have a versatile nature, allowing them to be used as an all-purpose variety. Once washed and prepped, Foxton potatoes are popularly boiled, baked, roasted, or mashed. The variety does not discolor when heated and has a fluffy, soft, and creamy consistency once cooked. In England, Foxton potatoes are often used to make chips, also known as fries. They are also baked whole and served as a simple side, boiled for salads, or added to soups, stews, and curries. Try incorporating Foxton potatoes into grains, fritters, or potato dauphinoise. They can also be mixed into fillings for meat pies and pasties. Foxton potatoes pair well with herbs such as chives, tarragon, rosemary, and thyme, spices including paprika, garlic, and onion powder, and meats such as beef, pork, poultry, and turkey. Whole, unwashed Foxton potatoes will keep for several weeks to months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Foxton potatoes were one of several notable varieties released through the Plant Breeding Institute at Cambridge, also known as PBI Cambridge, in England. The institute was established in 1912 as a department to develop more disease resistant varieties to help boost English agriculture. The main crops studied and bred at the institute included potatoes, wheat, and barley, and over 130 varieties were released from the program. Potato breeding began within the program in 1939, and after World War II, PBI Cambridge developed most of their varieties to showcase improved disease resistance against potato blight, Phytophthora infestans. One of the most famous potato varieties created by PBI Cambridge was Maris Piper in 1966. This variety was revered for its disease resistance, texture, flavor, and versatility and was named after the institute’s famous Maris prefix, a descriptor taken from a road near the institute in Cambridge. Maris Piper potatoes eventually became one of the parent varieties of Foxton. The Plant Breeding Institute at Cambridge is no longer in existence, but their released potato varieties, including Maris Piper and Foxton, have become some of the most sought-after tubers in the United Kingdom for both home garden and commercial cultivation.
Geography/History
Foxton potatoes are native to Cambridge, England, and were developed sometime in the late 20th century. The variety was created from a cross between Irene and Maris Piper potatoes and was bred at the Plant Breeding Institute at Cambridge, or PBI Cambridge. Most varieties released from PBI Cambridge were bred with improved disease resistance, and Foxton potatoes were favored by growers for their versatility and easy-to-grow nature. Since their debut, Foxton potatoes have remained mostly localized to the United Kingdom, where they are sold as an all-purpose variety. Some specialty growers outside of the United Kingdom also offer the variety, including a few in Australia, but overall, the potatoes are mainly found in England as a commercial and home garden cultivar. When in season, Foxton potatoes are sold as seed potatoes and grown as a culinary ingredient through select local markets. The Foxton 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.
