{^ POTATOES^ }

Despite the fact that they qualify as vegetables under certain
definitions, potatoes are so vastly different from the other
veggies in this chapter that they deserve a section all to
themselves. There are few vegetables you find in the
supermarket that are as varied as potatoes. They come in
myriad shapes and sizes, but don’t let all that variety fool
you. When it comes to cooking qualities, potatoes can
basically be broken down into three categories: high-starch,
medium-starch, and low-starch (also referred to as waxy).
While most any potato will technically work in any recipe,
the end results can be vastly different. French fries made
with red potatoes are creamy and dense in the center, as
opposed to the fluffy fries made from russets. Mashed
potatoes made with medium-starch Yukon Golds will be
buttery, thick, and intense, quite unlike the light, almost-
aerated mash you get with russets. Waxy red potatoes will
hold their shape in soups and stews even after they’ve been
cooked to oblivion, while russets will absorb flavors and
eventually fall apart.
I prefer russet potatoes in nearly every application for the
reason that they tend to absorb flavors better than any other
variety. Also, I’m too lazy to keep more than one variety of
potato around. I’ll occasionally buy smaller bags of yellow
fingerling or red creamer potatoes, or pick up some baskets
of flavorful tiny new potatoes from the farmers’ market if I