[DD.]

I took a bucket each of Pentland Javelin, Lady Christl and Epicure spuds down to coffee morning today.

Not many of the Epicure spuds went.

Why was this?

Personally I can only put it down purely to their appearance - they are a bit more knobbly than the other two. If this is the case, is this a result of years of supermarket conditioning?

This is the first time I've grown them and I find them a really nice spud, a full flavour and remain firm when cooked and actually kept their skins on!

Looks like I'll have to grow all three next year again, I only grew them as initially I couldn't get hold of LC and when at the nursery I seemed to recall someone on here recommending them.

[arugula]

I was talking to a colleague the other day who says he always grows Epicure, great potato. We've grown Sharpe's Express this year on recommendation from here and when first picked didn't rate it on flavour, at all. It turns out that this is quite a well known and well liked potato amongst some of the older boys around here. We don't like its floury attributes although it sautes well and makes nice wedges. As they get bigger, the tatties seem to have a better flavour too. Still not right though, for a first... 

[Lardman]

Next time you take some down. Wash the soil off the Epicure and leave soil on the others .. I think you'll get a different result 

I must have broken my spud tasting bud as they all taste the same to me.

[sunshineband]

Next time you take some down. Wash the soil off the Epicure and leave soil on the others .. I think you'll get a different result 

I must have broken my spud tasting bud as they all taste the same to me.

 

[Trillium]

I find people just can't be bothered peeling around knobs, which is probably why few of the Epicure went. Worse is that they'll gladly bypass superior taste to simply not have to deal with the knobs.

I grow Bintje, Irish Cobbler and Cal White and all are prone to knobbing, but they're great tasting potatoes so I don't mind at all peeling the stupid knobs 

[DD.]

Peel? 

We're talking "new" spuds here - just steam them - or boil if you must!

[Grubbypaws]

How would you rate the taste of the three?

I have grown Lady C this year and they taste wonderful. I have never tasted the other two so dont know whether to stay with LC ( I cant imagine anything could be nicer) or experiment (and maybe be disappointed)

 

[DD.]

Difficult call.

If pushed I'd go Lady C, Epicure, Pentland J, in that order, but Epicure is not far behind. I'm fortunate in that I have space for all three, so I don't have to give one up, if I had to I'd need to assess the size of crop as well, once they are more mature.

Epicure are in favour at the mo as they seem to refuse to split their skins off, even if over-cooked, whereas PJ like to slip out of them!

[Grubbypaws]

My Lady C have never had skins. They wash up looking smooth as anything. The taste that I like is that new jersey potato taste. Do the other two match up on taste alone?

 

[DD.]

Epicure nearly, PJ a bit further down the scale.

[JayG]

I couldn't find a supplier of LC seed spuds this year so planted PJ instead, although I did find 3 volunteer LC's from last year's crop so planted them as well so I would have the opportunity to taste the difference.

I think LC wins out of the two, and doesn't break up as easily as PJ, although the latter are perfectly good steamed over a "bed" of mint.

To my taste buds none of the new spuds taste as good when left to grow on a bit larger than true salad size, and are also more prone to breaking up when boiled unless you catch them just at the right moment.

[shokkyy]

Epicure are in favour at the mo as they seem to refuse to split their skins off, even if over-cooked, whereas PJ like to slip out of them!

That sounds like my sort of spud, hate it when the skins fall off like that. I'll have to give them a try. I've got no idea what we're eating this year because my dog dug up all the seed spuds, ate some and scattered the rest. I rescued what I could and put them back in containers, but no idea which is which.