Pink Gypsy Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Pink Gypsy potatoes are elongated tubers with an oblong to oval shape. The skin is semi-smooth with a few, shallow eyes, and has a unique pink coloring with white spots surrounding the eyes. Underneath the surface, the ivory flesh contains starch and is low in moisture, creating a dry, dense, and fine-grained consistency. Pink Gypsy potatoes are a floury tuber that develops a light and fluffy texture when cooked with a mild, earthy, and slightly nutty flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Pink Gypsy potatoes are available in the fall through winter.
Current Facts
Pink Gypsy potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are an early maincrop variety that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Created in the United Kingdom, Pink Gypsy potatoes were developed as a specialty variety that is highly prized for its distinct, multi-colored skin, resistance to disease, quality flavor, and adaptability to colder climates. Pink Gypsy potatoes are not commercially grown on a wide scale, but the cultivar is slowly increasing in popularity among specialty growers and home gardening enthusiasts. The tubers are also a favored variety in gardening and variety shows for their colorful appearance.
Nutritional Value
Pink Gypsy potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium, with vitamin C being an antioxidant that can help reduce inflammation while potassium is an electrolyte that can balance fluid levels in the body. The tubers also provide fiber, which can help regulate digestion, and contain phosphorus, vitamin B6, calcium, and some folates.
Applications
Pink Gypsy potatoes are best suited for cooked applications such as boiling, baking, mashing, and roasting. The tubers are considered a general-purpose variety, but it is important to note that the multi-colored skin will not remain through the cooking process. Pink Gypsy potatoes can be cubed and tossed into curries, soups, chowders, and stews, sliced into wedges and served with fish, shredded and fried, or mashed and layered into shepherd’s pie. In the United Kingdom, rumbledethumps is a traditional dish that incorporates mashed Pink Gypsy potatoes with onions and swede, which is a variety of turnip. This creamy dish is often served as an accompaniment to stew, or it can be made into a complete meal when served with a fried egg. Pink Gypsy potatoes can also be used in a variation of bangers and mash, which are mashed potatoes served with sausages. Pink Gypsy potatoes pair well with peas, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cheeses such as cheddar, gruyere, and gouda, apples, garlic, and meats such as venison, lamb, beef, poultry, and pork. The tubers will keep 1-2 months when stored properly in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
A true Scottish breakfast is a hearty meal that has become one of the most popular dishes consumed by visiting tourists in Scotland. The ingredients may vary across the country, depending on the region, but the meal typically includes multiple dishes, juices, and teas. One of the main elements of the breakfast is the tattie scone, also known as a tottie scone or potato scone. These flatbread-like wedges are made out of mashed or boiled potatoes mixed with flour, salt, and butter to make a dough, and are then cooked on a griddle. Tattie scones have become a favorite inexpensive breakfast item, with Pink Gypsy potatoes being one of the varieties used, and the scones are also very filling, providing sustenance until the lunch hour. Along with tattie scones, a true Scottish breakfast consists of eggs, bacon or sausage, black pudding, toast, beans, and grilled tomatoes.
Geography/History
Pink Gypsy potatoes were created by Cygnet Potato Breeders, a company based in the United Kingdom. While the exact dates of when the variety was released in unknown, the cultivar was believed to have been created from spey and symfonia potatoes and gained breeder's rights in 2009. Today Pink Gypsy potatoes are primarily found in the United Kingdom through specialty grocers and local markets. The variety is also available through online seed catalogs for home garden use across Europe.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Pink Gypsy Potatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Morghew |
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BBQ Roasties |
