[m1ckz]

why dont new fresh dug potatoes taste like new potatoes like they used too used to.  years ago

[Yorkie]

Different variety? 

Different soil or growing conditions? 

Rose coloured spectacles? 

[mumofstig]

Were the ones you ate years ago home grown or from a shop? Cos from a shop - they weren't fresh dug 

When I was younger all the new potatoes were either from Cyprus (different variety and different soil) or from Jersey (soil and seaweed make the difference)

[Goneterseed]

I stopped growing first earlies because of the lack of anticpated taste.  Maybe they really don't taste like they used to. I now prefer to wait a little longer for the Charlottes and kestrel, and even longer for the Desiree.

[Mr Dog]

I'm convinced shop Jerseys aren't the same as they used to be, They used to have 'flakey' skins that could be scrubbed/scraped off, but now they have skins that need to be peeled if you want to remove them. The taste, well......

[mumofstig]

I'm convinced shop Jerseys aren't the same as they used to be, They used to have 'flakey' skins that could be scrubbed/scraped off, but now they have skins that need to be peeled if you want to remove them. The taste, well......

They used to come loose from open sacks, so the skins dried a bit - now they come in placcy bags to keep them moist 

Plus.... The fact is we gradually lose our sense of taste and smell as we age - so it may be that they don't taste any different, but that our taste buds no longer register it 

[Salmo]

I'm convinced shop Jerseys aren't the same as they used to be, They used to have 'flakey' skins that could be scrubbed/scraped off, but now they have skins that need to be peeled if you want to remove them. The taste, well......

They used to come loose from open sacks, so the skins dried a bit - now they come in placcy bags to keep them moist 

Plus.... The fact is we gradually lose our sense of taste and smell as we age - so it may be that they don't taste any different, but that our taste buds no longer register it 

Jersey Royals (International Kidney) used to be kidney shaped? They used to have earth on them and were fresh. Now they are washed and probably spend time in a chiller. Variety has a lot to do with it. Arran Pilot are good but perhaps yield a bit less. Fast bulking Rocket and Swift lack any flavour.

[JayG]

I thought the decline in taste of Jersey Royals was more to do with the decline in use of seaweed (vraic) as a fertiliser on Jersey.

I've grown International Kidney spuds and they don't taste particularly special to me, certainly not the way I seem to remember Jersey Royals used to.

Shame that Sheffield is about as far from the sea as you can get in this country, otherwise I'd feel an experiment coming on... 

[BabbyAnn]

I thought the decline in taste of Jersey Royals was more to do with the decline in use of seaweed (vraic) as a fertiliser on Jersey.

I thought so too.  The first time I tasted Jersey Royals, the earthy flavour was so distinct (I'd grown up abroad so had never had them before) that I don't think it is to do with my age.  As for other varieties, I think it comes down to trial and error trying out different ones with your soil - Arran Pilots are definitely on my list.

[ptarmigan]

I remember the taste of freshly dug up new potatoes in my youth, it was one of the things that prompted me to get an allotment so I could grow my own.  And while they are good the taste does vary year to year depending on conditions and working out what suits your soil type best is really important. 

And then remembering what that type was...

I tried international kidney and lots of seaweed as near the coast and they weren't anything special, nice enough.  But charlottes with lots of seaweed piled on as mulch were v tasty.

[JimB]

I stopped growing first earlies because of the lack of anticpated taste.  Maybe they really don't taste like they used to. I now prefer to wait a little longer for the Charlottes and kestrel, and even longer for the Desiree.

Hi!

Next year try Dunluce, if you can get them, I have to travel about 13 miles to Dundry Nurseries near Cheltenham as they are the only people I know who stocks them, and I also have to be quick as they soon sold out!

I have tried Charlotte, Kestrel and many others, in my opinion they are not worth the space they take up!

Also the type of soil has a great influence on the taste!