Lily Rose Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, 1 Lb : 0
Description/Taste
Lily Rose potatoes vary in size and shape, depending on their growing conditions and time of harvest, but are generally a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 8 to 9 centimeters in length and 6 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The tubers showcase a somewhat uniform, oval to oblong shape with blunt, curved ends. The skin is semi-thin, textured, firm, and taut, bearing a few shallow eyes that do not affect the shape of the tuber. The skin also has a distinct red-brown coloring with various patches of russet and dark brown spots. Underneath the surface, the flesh is dense, hard, and slippery when raw, becoming waxy, tender, and soft once cooked. The flesh also features variegated, marbled hues of red, red-purple, and ivory. Lily Rose potatoes are only edible after cooking and develop a mild, subtly earthy, sweet, and nutty taste. Some tubers can also bear a faint bitterness created by specific growing conditions.
Seasons/Availability
Lily Rose potatoes can be planted for early and mid-season harvests, typically between May and August. The variety is also known for its extended storage capabilities, allowing the tubers to be kept in proper cold storage for almost year-round use.
Current Facts
Lily Rose potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are a Dutch variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The pigmented tubers are marketed as an early or second early variety, meaning the potatoes are harvested early to mid-season, depending on when they are sown. Both early and second early varieties are favored for their ability to be harvested before other maincrop cultivars, making them less prone to potato blight, one of the most problematic diseases in potato production. Lily Rose potatoes are not widely cultivated on a broad scale, but the variety is favored among gourmet potato enthusiasts for the potato’s distinct coloring, flavor, waxy texture, and extended storage capabilities. The cultivar is grown throughout Europe in home gardens and smaller farms, sold as a seasonal culinary delicacy. Lily Rose potatoes are versatile and can be incorporated into a wide array of savory cooked dishes.
Nutritional Value
Lily Rose potatoes have not been studied for their nutritional properties. Red-skinned potatoes, in general, are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, phosphorus to help build proteins to repair cells and tissues, magnesium to control nerve functions, and folate to help generate DNA. Potatoes also provide calcium to support bones and teeth, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin K to assist the blood in coagulating properly, and other nutrients, including B vitamins, zinc, manganese, selenium, copper, and iron. The variety’s red coloring and pigmented flesh indicate the presence of anthocyanins that have antioxidant-like properties to protect the body’s overall health and to reduce inflammation.
Applications
Lily Rose potatoes have a mild, sweet, and subtly earthy taste suited for cooked preparations. The waxy variety is known for having denser flesh once cooked and is preferred for cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, pan-frying, mashing, and roasting. Lily Rose potatoes can be boiled and tossed into potato salads, or they can be served as a simple side dish with fresh herbs and butter. In England, Lily Rose potatoes are recommended by some vendors for use in dauphinoise, a French dish of thinly sliced potatoes cooked in a mixture of cheese, milk, or cream. The variety can also be used as a variation of the classic fry, also known as chips in the United Kingdom. In the Netherlands, fries are customarily served with mayonnaise as a dipping sauce. They can also be eaten with curry ketchup and a peanut-based sauce called satésaus. Fries are a foundational element in several popular Dutch street foods. Kapsalon is a fusion dish of fries, meat, and gouda cheese topped with salad and sauces. This dish was created in 2003 in Rotterdam and is sometimes made at home with specialty potatoes such as Lily Rose. Red pigmented potatoes can also add color to roasted, smashed, and mashed recipes. Andijviestamppot, zuurkoolstamppot, and hete bliksem are Dutch recipes comprised of mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables and meats, often served during the winter season as a warm, comforting dish. Lily Rose potatoes pair well with artichokes, carrots, spinach, kale, endive, leeks, onions, apples, and meats such as poultry, beef, and pork. Whole, unwashed Lily Rose potatoes will keep for several weeks to months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location. The variety is known for its extended storage capabilities, and if properly kept, can last throughout the year.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Potatoes are famously used in the Netherlands in dish called hutspot, a comforting, filling meal of mashed potatoes, onions, carrots served with traditional Dutch sausage. Much of the dish’s history is unknown, but most sources hypothesize the dish originated sometime in the 16th and 17th centuries. During the Eighty Years’ War, also known as the battle for the Netherland’s independence from Spain, the Spanish attempted to capture the city of Leiden in 1573. The city residents were able to defend their land from the Spanish for over a year, surviving starvation and sicknesses. On October 3rd, 1574, Leiden residents flooded the region by breaching dikes, eventually transporting food through ships to the city, allowing them to drive out the Spanish. Legend has it that the Spanish fled in such as hurry that they left behind pots of stewed carrots, onions, and parsnips. Leiden residents consumed the leftover cooked vegetables in an act of declaring victory and in need of filling their starved stomachs. The dish eventually became known as hutspot, a name derived from “hutsen” meaning “to mix” and pot. Every year on October 3rd, a nationwide celebration is held to honor the events that occurred in 1574, and the holiday is called Leidens Ontzet. Variations of hutspot are traditionally consumed during Leridens Ontzet and as the dish was adapted over time, potatoes replaced parsnips.
Geography/History
Lily Rose potatoes are native to the Netherlands and were developed by Dutch potato breeder Van Rijn. The date of origin of the variety is unknown, but it is said Lily Rose potatoes were created from a cross between the female parent, Cecile X, and the make parent, a variety labeled IVP 4X-038-1. After their release, Lily Rose potatoes were represented by the potato trading house Plantera in the Netherlands and are sold as a specialty variety and seed potato. Today, Lily Rose potatoes are cultivated throughout Europe and are commercially produced on a small scale. The variety is also grown by home gardeners as a culinary variety. When in season, Lily Rose potatoes can be found through select fresh markets, retailers, and wholesalers in Europe. The Lily Rose 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.
