Potatoes from south fill gap in Chch markets

Press, 16 July 1982, Page 2

Potatoes from south fill gap in Chch markets

The winter months are usually a quiet time at produce markets; many crops have completed their season and others have yet to begin. Staple year-round crops .gain a new prominence in the absence of more exotic lines. One such crop is the potato. New Zealanders are well known • for their fondness of this root vegetable. An American tourist J last yeat noted with surprise that for his first meal in -New Zealand, at an Auckland hotel, he was served roast potato, mashed potato, and chips with his main course. Most of the 203,285 tonnes of potatoes produced in Tiew Zealand in 1978-79 were consumed on the home market. In the United States, too, the potato is popular. It has been described as the country’s “favourite vegetable” and the United States Potato Board is encouraging the industry to celebrate February as Potato Lovers’ Month. Already the governor of the largest potato-growing state, Idaho, has issued a PotatoLovers’ Month proclamation and others are expected to do the same.

The potato originated in the Andean highlands of Peru but has long been associated with Ireland. Potato famines have played a part in Irish history, the most -devastating being in 1846-47, when a failure of the crop caused a population loss of two million and a half, of whom a million died.' Named from the South American Indian words, batata, meaning sweet potato, and papa, the potato was

introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century.

The diet-conscious have long been warned off the potato, wich is 75 per cent water and 25 per cent sugar and starch, with vitamins and minerals. A recent experiment in Ireland, in which 23 Irishmen ate 10 large potatoes a day together’ with any other food they liked, shows the potato in a new light. Almost all had lost weight at the end of three months. ■

A full range of five varieties of potatoes were available at Christchurch markets this week. Ham Hardy, Rua, Chippewa, lowa, and Red King potatoes from Southland sold well.

Prices had been expected to rise because of shortages caused by lack of. rain, but Red King potatoes from

Southland and produce freighted from Temuka filled the gap in the market, and kept prices down. Buyers paid between $2.50 and $5 a bag. Other vegetable lines were in reasonable supply this week. Cabbages, cauliflowers, carrots, and parsnips were plentiful. Prices ranged from $3 to $5.50 a bag for drumhead cabbages and up to $6.50 for red cabbages. Cauliflowers from Oamaru fetched $4.50 to $8.60 a bag yesterday, as. against $l2 early in the week. Broccoli and celery varied in quality. The price for broccoli affected by frost, dropped to $5 a case. Local celery made $11.50 a case and produce from Nelson reached $9.50. ■ Spring onions, onions, lettuces, silverbeet, brussels

sprouts,.and pumpkins were all plentiful, as were kumara, which fetched up to $25 a carton. Good stocks of tomatoes are arriving at the markets although the supply diminished a little towards th'e end of the week. A 4.5 kg carton sold for $9 to $l4. Quantities of kiwifruit, tamarillos, Clementine mandarins, New Zealand oranges, and goldfruit were ample to meet the demand from retailers. A shipment of Californian citrus fruit arrived in New Zealand.

This week’s recipe SCALLOPED POTATOES 50 gm butter 3 tbsp flour % tsp salt 3 cups milk 6 to 7 potatoes Black pepper Butter

Method: Melt three tablespoons of butter in saucepan, remoye from heat, and stir in flour and salt. Cook until frothy. Remove from heat and add milk, stirring continuously. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, for two or three minutes. Peel, wash, and thinly slice potatoes. Arrange in oven-proof dish and pouf a third of the sauce over the potatoes, add another layer of potato and sauce, then remaining potatoes and sauce. Sprinkle with pepper, place knobs of butter on top, cover with lid and bake at 180 deg C for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another hour until potatoes are browned. Serves eight.