See this patch of soil here? That’s our summer garden. And it’s already completed planted.
Owing to me being pregnant and somewhat brain-dead in most capacities, Jake ended up taking over the planning and implementation of this year’s garden.
The man decided to plant three things.
Red onions. Lots of red onions.
White onions.
And approximately 350 potato plants. And not just any potato: Purple potatoes.
A potato plant produces anywhere from 1 to 6 potatoes. We’re looking at a yield of up to 2,100 purple potatoes come July.
Now the obvious question here is, What the—?!
WHY 350 purple plants? Why would a family of two — 2 1/4 once the baby arrives in July — require so many flipping purple potatoes?
I put this question to Jake while we both toiled in the hot sun, tilling and planting row after insufferable row of purple potatoes.
He had two responses:
1. “Cause I just spent $10 on a 50 pound bag of purple potatoes.”
2. “You gotta go big or go home, hon.”
I’ve noticed Jake relies on that second phrase quite often, usually to justify an action that makes absolutely zero sense or to satisfy his maximalist tendencies (adding 2 cups of cumin when the recipe calls for a teaspoon; building a “simple” Hen Hut so big and spectacular it’s impossible to pull around the yard without a tractor, planting a garden of NOTHING BUT PURPLE POTATOES , etc., etc., etc….)
Ordinarily, I would have fought him over this…..we’re going to be eating purple potato and onion mash well into December! Ours is the garden of medieval peasants!….but I lacked the wherewithal. I lacked the conviction to push for eggplants and cucumbers and habaneros. I just looked at him and shrugged and said, “Uh. Yeah. Whatever. Pass me another purple potato.”
I truly am pregnant.
All original content © 2012 by Jessie Knadler
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Actually, I’ve made this smitten kitchen recipe before with (gasp!) white potatoes. It’s pretty delicious, AND it’s lovely with purple ‘taters. http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/fork-crushed-purple-potatoes/
And, uh, maybe your neighbors forgot to plant potatoes this year and you can trade for some more variety?
Too funny!
Maybe you could make kettle chips and experiment with different spices. Food Network has a couple of good recipes for these…You could sell them too!
“http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tylers-ultimate/kettle-chips-with-parmesan-and-herbs-recipe/index.html”
Ok, how on earth do y’all keep your purple potatoes purple when you cook ‘em? I bought purple potatoes thinking I’d cook and serve purple mashed potatoes, but I served vaguely tinted mashed potatoes. It was such a disappointment. No one could even tell they were purple!
Jenny: I don’t know! I’ve never eaten a purple potato other than in chip form. Bummed to hear about the absence of purple in mashed potatoes! I was so looking forward to that.
Tom says you can take your bounty of extra purple potatoes at harvest to the produce auction in [redacted] and sell them. You and Jake would probably get a kick out of seeing that place anyway. They sell all sorts of produce in smaller or larger quantities (in case you get the hankerin’ to can something that you’re not growing).
Thanks for suggestion, Karen!!!
Thanks for the great post! You have a new fan.
Actually, I’ve made this smitten kitchen recipe before with (gasp!) white potatoes. It’s pretty delicious, AND it’s lovely with purple ‘taters. http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/fork-crushed-purple-potatoes/
And, uh, maybe your neighbors forgot to plant potatoes this year and you can trade for some more variety?
Amy: So purple potatoes really do cook up purple. Quelle surprise. Somebody told me these potatoes lost their purple-y hue during cooking, but the Smitten Kitchen pics prove otherwise. THANKS for the recipe!
Jessie, add some red potatoes with the skins on and regular potatoes and make a Patriotic Potato Salad. Also the purple/blue ones are great roasted. Trader Joes sells a mixed bag — red, white and purple. As usual, you and Jake are supremely trendy.