More than 150 years have passed since the potato was first brought to Russia. During this time, it has become one of the main food products on the domestic table, and there are a myriad of dishes with it. Many varieties of potatoes have also been bred - almost 290 in the Russian Federation alone. Most of them are difficult for a layman to recognize by eye, but the most popular potato varieties on the Russian table can be distinguished from each other with a close examination of the tubers.
Distinctive features of different varieties of potatoes
An early variety of potatoes "Bellarosa" is distinguished by rather large fruits of a regular oval shape, which have a brownish peel. One of the best potatoes in Russia "Idaho" is also distinguished by its large size, but it is easily recognizable by the correct shape of the tubers, which can be easily cut into 8 completely identical slices.
For elite Dutch potato varieties, which can also often be found on the shelves of Russia, they have a characteristic regular oval and elongated-oval shape, thin peel and shallow eyes that are easily removed during peeling. The potatoes of the Eba, Ariel, Prior and Sante varieties are characterized by a yellow skin and the same color of the flesh, while the mid-early Kondor and Romano varieties have a creamy white flesh and pink skin.
Tubers of the Russian variety "Nevsky" have an oblong-rounded shape and a smooth white-yellow peel with pinkish eyes. On the cut of such a potato, you can see white flesh, which remains light for a long time. It is not for nothing that it has become widespread in its native country - such potatoes are easy to wash, peel and cook quickly, while maintaining their shape. In appearance, the "Skazka" potato is similar to it, only the eyes of the latter have a much richer pink color.
Potatoes of the early variety "Bryanskiy" have a rounded shape with a blunt top. Its rind is creamy white, reticulate and has small, unpainted eyes. The flesh of these potatoes is also white. He fell in love with the Russian consumer for his excellent taste. Another early potato variety "Zhukovsky", on the other hand, is distinguished by large rounded-oval pink tubers, white pulp and pronounced colored eyes.
How to choose the right potatoes
The earliest varieties of potatoes are considered the most useful, since they are distinguished by larger tubers and the presence of a large amount of nutrients. For mashed potatoes, it is better to use more boiled varieties with white-yellow peel and creamy pulp, and for salads - potatoes with a low starch content (Zhukovsky, Romano), which retain their shape better during cooking.
But whichever potato variety you choose, you should only buy firm tubers with a smooth, thin skin. It is better to refuse soft potatoes and peeling peels, since in the first case it is already overripe, and in the second, on the contrary, it is not ripe. You should also avoid buying potatoes with a greenish skin.
