this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
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Some people commonly say 'potato-quality' to signify low quality, but ironically, potatoes are a super-food, packed with nutrients & vitamins. So they could also be called "Cadillac-quality" by that measure.
One thing I can't stand is when people say potatoes don't have enough protein to be a super food. They completely ignore that potatoes accounted for almost all the protein in Ireland at one point. If you can live off it then it's a freaking super food.
It was also a key super-food across the Andes. Pre-conquest folks would stomp on it kinda like grapes, helping to air and sun-dry it so that it would last for ages in various inhospitable places, such as up in the mountains or in dry, coastal areas. A bit like instant mashed potatoes, but Inca (etc) style.
I love potatoes so much. It's funny because my partner is Irish. He side eyes me every time I go nuts on the potatoes and says that I must have been Irish in my previous life. Potatoes are 100% a super food.
Last summer the price of potatoes almost doubled in my area. I was very deeply concerned because that was going to impact my life. Fortunately things went back to normal. I wasn't going to make it if potatoes were $4.60 for a 5 pound bag.
Same here in Australia. We had flooding so bad that it ruined the crops in Victoria and in Tasmania. Potatoes were coming in from overseas to help keep up with demand. Restaurants and cafes were ordering their usual orders of whatever shape and size they wanted, but it got to the point where chips would just show up when they were available (and not often the one they wanted), but if they didn't take it, they'd have nothing.
Get a compost box and throw in a potato or two. You'll never see the end of them!
I used to compost but then I got chickens. They eat all compost fodder and give eggs.
Ah, lucky. I have wanted chickens as I've gotten older, but still renting, so no chickens for me..
Have you tried making them in an air-fryer? Theoretically it's a wonderful way to crisp them up in various ways, but in a fairly healthy way, without the need for deep-frying nor saturating them in oil.
Only problem over here is that I'm struggling to get standard-size fries to work well, even pre-removing the starch by cold soakings. I know I do need to use Russets next time, just that the local store only sells 10lb bags of those. Still, I might try the "Hasselback" method next time, which looks really yummy from the pictures!
I have not - I don't have an air fryer, so I've just baked them in the oven. I've cubed or wedged them, tossed them in olive oil, sprinkle some seasoned salt on them, and eat it straight. If I'm feeling dippy, I mix together some mayo and sriracha.
Hasselbeck is SO GOOD. I also just love slicing potatoes about 0.5cm thick and baking them so they have crispy edges and soft on the inside.
I used to live near a historically Irish-immigration potato farming area, and they had the BEST potatoes. McCutcheon potatoes. I will always pick up 5-10kg when I happen to drive by. I never knew there were so many types of potato until I met my partner. It's like a drug now.
Have you tried fondant potatoes? Was just reminded of them when I, like an addict, decided to look up different ways to eat potatoes.
I hate kitchen appliances. They break. They take up space. They are difficult to properly clean. But someone gave us an air fryer. It was life changing. They put a perfect skin on any tube meat. They make potatoes crispy.
You gotta work in small batches but even then it can take less time than an oven, even a convection oven, because of that very close heat source.
Get yourself an air fryer. Throw out your toaster if you don't have room. You can toast in a frying pan if you need to.
I had been considering one for ages, then decided against it because of bench space.. But it would definitely be easier on the power bill and helps with portion control.
The man is Irish, he will NOT part with the toaster lol. The only thing that actually lives on the bench is the kettle and a fruit basket. Having a bench top air fryer would definitely help with not heating up the entire house when it's 30C at 9AM, and then 45C by the time it's 6PM..
Edit: On the top of air fryers, which one do you have and/or recommend?
I can't recommend any specific model or company. I can recommend getting the largest basket size you can but avoiding anything in a toaster oven format. I looked at dozens of the toaster oven style and every single one failed basic design considerations. And was either wasting heat or creating a fire hazard. Basket design all the way.
As for appliances in general: bare bones bass models only. The more features something has, the more features there are to break and the way things are designed these days if one feature breaks, the entire thing is useless.
Ah, when I was previously looking, I was looking at the oven-type. The one that keeps popping up is the Phillips one, and I think it's ugly af. I've seen the inside of some of them and people either don't clean them or it's not very easy to clean?
Good tip, thank you!
If you're cooking things like tube meats and these things they are going to start pooling massive amounts of fat. The ability to remove the entire inside and put it in your sink is going to be vital to keeping it clean and no matter how easy it is to use a tray there is going to be fat that ends up in the bottom of the device. And those toaster oven format ones don't always come with removable bottoms. And then there's that glass window that's also going to be a cleaning nightmare.
I really wanted the toaster oven format for large batches. But I just could not justify it after looking at all the details.
I hear ya. Thanks for all the tips! It's just me and my partner, so really, how big of a unit do we need anyway.
I wonder what he might think about the variety in Peru, for example:
https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=variety+of+potatoes+in+peru
Uh, no! Hah, they look like scallops. Sounds really good though, and maybe I could use ghee instead of butter to make them.
I'll ask him when he gets home, haha. But WOW that's a lot of potatoes. Peru is on our bucket list, and I think we know where my money is going... I'm going to eat all the potatoes.
Re fondant potatoes: I know, right! But just looking at them makes me drool. I can only imagine how soft and creamy they are inside.
Somewhat like scalloped, perhaps, but probably more 'focused,' if that's the word.
It can be a mixed bag, depending. Me, I'd say a combination of touristy-type issues, as well Peruvians not necessarily paying much attention to maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of various areas. Now one place I've never gone is in to the Amazon, which sounds like it could be truly fascinating. All that to say-- hopefully, y'all do your research ahead of time.
Well, potatoes wasn't the main draw to go to Peru, haha. He and I are both mountain people, so climbing things was the top reason for wanting to head over to the Andes. Potatoes is a bonus.
We've only been to Brasil in South America, so we're due to explore more of the continent. I'm not sure if I could bring myself to go to the Amazon. I'm the ultimate mosquito magnet, and I welt like mad as well. The trip would be incredible, but I would be miserable.