But this missive is about potatoes and specifically an heirloom Dutch variety called “Bintje” (Pronounced “ben-jee”). “Bintje” or “Miss Bintje” as it was known at its introduction in 1910 was the work of a botanist schoolmaster named Kornelis Friesland. Master Friesland used potatoes as a hands-on teaching tool in his classroom to illustrate the principles of plant genetics and cross breeding. He named each resulting hybrid potato after one of his children of which he had nine. But when he produced the tenth hybrid potato in ~1905 (a cross between Munstersen and Fransen) he found inspiration in his best pupil, Miss Bintje Jansma. And one might say that the rest of the story is “potato history.”

Today Bintje potatoes are the most widely grown yellow-fleshed potato in the world. Farmers appreciate Bintje’s productivity and its tolerance to a wide range of soils. Commercial produce firms like Bintje for its storage ability and its good looks. Even on close inspection a Bintje is smooth and well rounded. Plus its skin has a silk-like finish. But where Bintje truly excels is in the kitchen. Its starch solid content of ~20% puts it in the middle of the ‘wax vs flour’ spectrum and thus they can play either role. And most important is that the flavor of a Bintje is exceptional. Some describe it as having a unique light, nut-like flavor. I don’t taste that note but I agree that it is an exceptional spud.

Despite Bintje’s world-wide reputation it is largely unknown in America. Much of that may be due to America’s long-standing “potato color barrier.” Until a Canadian university invented the Yukon Gold in the 1970s the American public wouldn’t look twice at a spud unless it had snow-white flesh. But Yukon got a toehold in our market when restaurant chefs were intrigued by its “unusual look.” Growers liked Yukon because they were huge (Remember that Americans nearly always think “Big food is better food.”) And Yukon’s ultra-short growing season allow them to be planted nearly all the way North to the permafrost. But the thorn-in-the-side issue with Yukon Gold is the taste. Yukon is a pretty average-tasting potato. And that’s on a good day.

So why hasn’t the exceptional Bintje beaten the pants off of Yukon Gold here in America? It might be the size/productivity issues. Or perhaps it is the economic phenomena of market dominance. I don’t know the answer to that mystery but I do know what the outcome would be if anyone does a potato tasting throw down between that yellow thing from Vancouver and the delicate, delightful Miss Bintje.

These Bintje potatoes were organically grown in my garden in the Valley of the Moon.

With increased daylight and hours of sunshine, strawberries are becoming abundant and really combine well with rhubarb – all being field-harvested.  While the tomatoes and eggplant are coming in a little bit late, delicate and tender baby greens are available for incredible full-flavored salads. 

Apricots are starting and peaches are being harvested with sugar, Mulberries should start appearing mid-June (an article on Mulberries and Blenheims attached)  … summer is on it’s way!

The is the start of a three day weekend ending with Memorial Day on Monday. Go buy some new sunscreen and your first personal watermelon of the season. Kick back in a chaise lounge and reflect on how truly lucky you are to live in a great country.  And whatever your politics, please take a moment this weekend to acknowledge and remember the people who work very hard in bad conditions to make sure we can live our lives so freely.

The flavor resembles a sour cherry, yet is pleasing to the taste. The loquat is comparable to the apple in many aspects, with a high sugar, acid and pectin content. It is eaten as a fresh fruit and mixes well with other fruits in fresh fruit salads or fruit cups. Firm, slightly immature fruits are best for making pies or tarts. The fruits are also commonly used to make jam, jelly and chutney, and are delicious poached in light syrup. Loquats can also be used to make wine.

Every pomegranate is composed of exactly 840 seeds, each surrounded by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a thin skin. The seeds are compacted in a layer resembling honeycomb around the core. The layers of seeds are separated by paper-thin white membranes which are bitter to the tongue. The inner membranes and rind are not generally eaten due to high tannic acid content, but they are useful as a skin wash.