In Search of the Perfect Potato
In Search of the Perfect Potato
Is there any such thing as the perfect potato?
If you ask a farmer, the answer you will probably get is, the Russet potato. They are great for baking, mashing and frying. They are good in soups and salads. They hold their shape fairly well in cooking and best of all, they taste great.
Is it perfect - no - but thats about a good as you can get... BUT farmers are always looking to improve, and that's where science come in to help out.
The Potato Variety Management Institute’s Jeanne Debons says the mission is to promote potatoes, but they have a main goal overall... To make a better potato!
“Well, it depends. Really, the Pacific Northwest is aimed towards breeding a better processing russet. That’s the goal. However, when you cross potatoes there are four sets of genes and it means that a lot of different types of potatoes are the offspring.”
Debons says those results vary widely with everything from fresh russets, to colored potatoes, and other specialty potatoes.
“And PVMI exists because the universities really aren’t in the position to do marketing and promotions. So, PVMI is a non-profit that does the marketing and promotions and collects royalties and license fees, but eventually find their way back to the universities.”
Hopefully one day resulting in the perfect potato!
