Potato varieties are designed to meet growing and culinary demands: soil, temperature, pest resistance, size, skin color, harvesting, yield, grade, cooking method, flavor, texture and presentation.

Washington grows multiple potato varieties - some in Central and South Central Washington, some in Northwestern Washington, some for fresh usage and many for processing into frozen French fries, for dehydrated potato products and for chips.

Washington growers recommend the following varieties for fresh (tablestock) usage.

The russet is named for its netted reddish-brown skin and is the most widely used variety in the US. Its white flesh is high in starch (solids), which means it is the perfect potato for baking and mashing, and also good for frying or roasting.

A russet is long, slightly rounded and has only a few shallow eyes. Russets range from hefty one-pounders (or more!) to 6 ounces and are purchased by count in 50- pound cartons. Russets are also sometimes called bakers or baking potatoes.

Russet Norkotah (left) — a handsome potato that is consistent in size, shape and color and always has a high percentage of No. 1 grade. Early season (fall and winter) Norkotahs are acceptable for French frying, but after several months of storage their starch turns to sugar and they may discolor during frying. Norkotahs are not as high in solids as other russets, making them all-purpose potatoes - good for both mashing and baking.

Gem Russet — the newest russet on the block, released in 2000, and also a good-looking potato, with excellent quality for fresh and processing. It is a long tuber, with light to medium russeted skin, high yield and with a high percentage of Grade No. 1s. The Gem Russet is high in solids, good for frying from 45°F storage, baking and mashing and almost all other uses.

Nooksack (Right) — known for its good appearance and excellent quality. It is an excellent storage variety due to its low sugar content. It has high solids and makes excellent fresh or commercially frozen French fries.

Russet Burbank — so esteemed for its qualities as a French fry that almost all production goes to processing for frozen fries.

Ranger Russet (Left) — a long, slightly flattened russet known for its large size, high yields and consistent quality. Because of its size and high solids, the Ranger is grown most often for the processing industry, but is also well suited for baking and frying. Other russet varieties are occasionally grown, and it may be possible to request them from packers.
 

Washington State produces both round whites and long whites. They have smooth white or off-white skins and white flesh with few and shallow eyes. These potatoes have less starch than russets and work well in a variety of preparations: boiling, steaming, mashing, baking, roasting and in casseroles (scalloped and au gratin), soups and salads.

White Rose — large, long and slightly flattened with smooth skin, deeper eyes and white flesh.

Cascade — more oblong, making it the perfect shape from which to cut fries. Its smooth white skin may have some slight cracking.
 

These round, waxy potatoes, which range in size from 1 inch in diameter to 2 1/2 inches or larger, have smooth red skins and white flesh. They are lower in starch than russets or whites, have a firm texture and are good for boiling, roasting, steaming and in casseroles (scalloped and au gratin), soups and salads. They should be firm and smooth-skinned, with bright red color and just a few shallow eyes. Reds are sold by size (A, B or C).

Chieftain — an attractive high yield variety, oblong to round, smooth with medium red skin and white flesh, which doesn’t darken as quickly after peeling.

Norland (above right) — oblong, smooth, slightly flattened and medium red smooth skin with shallow eyes. It is preferred for unpeeled preparations because of its bright skin color. This low starch potato is good in salads and for frying, mashing and boiling.

Red La Soda (above left) — round to oblong and slightly flattened in shape with medium deep eyes. The La Soda’s skin is smooth and a deep red at harvest but the color tends to fade with time. Its flesh is white. It is low in solids (specific gravity) and perfect for boiling.

Klondike Rose (above center) — an all-purpose potato grown in Washington since about 1999, with a smooth red skin and oval rather than round in shape. The flesh is golden, which sets it apart from the rest of the red family. The skin turns brown with baking. Steamed, boiled, mashed or sautéed, the Klondike Rose is especially buttery and flavorful.

Idarose — round, with a bright red skin, this potato is high yielding, good looking and consistently high in quality. Prepare as for other reds.

These golden skinned and fleshed potatoes are becoming more and more popular, both for their color, dense creamy texture and buttery flavor. Yellows are excellent for baking, boiling, mashing or roasting. They are sold by count, although some larger ones may be described as baker or premium.

Yukon Gold — oval, sometimes flattened with yellow skin, shallow pink eyes and yellow flesh which retains its color when cooked and is a darker yellow than Yellow Finn. Yukon Golds are high yielding and produce a high percentage of size A (largest), the most desirable size. They can be baked, boiled or French fried.

Yellow Finn — flattened shape with deep eyes, slightly sweeter than Yukon Gold. A superb all-purpose potato.

Provento — round to oval and medium to large in size, this yellow potato has light yellow flesh and is of consistently good quality for a variety of preparations.
 

Blue potatoes originated in the motherland of all potatoes - South America. They are a specialty potato, grown in Washington’s fertile Skagit Valley. Blues are sold by size, mostly A.

All Blue and Russian Blue — very similar - oval with thin, deep purple skins and flesh. Their texture is much like a russet, so they are good to bake or mash, French fry or even make chips, but they also can be steamed or boiled. The color will lighten some as they cook.
 

These small slender elongated potatoes are indeed fingersized (2 - 4 inches), but the name actually is of German origin and refers to fish. Fingerlings are the new darlings on sophisticated menus. They are waxy, firm and flavorful.

Russian Banana (right) — tapered with smooth tan-cream skin and butter-colored flesh, which keeps its color through cooking. It has fine and firm texture and can be steamed, baked or boiled and is good in salads. Ruby Crescent — reddish, somewhat tough skin and yellow flesh with a distinctive ruby crescent at its heart. Waxy and good for steaming, or boiling. Better flavor when served hot.
 
 

Varieties By Usage

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