The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

feel like making something different to go with my meal.
But that’s just me. Other people may like to have a full
range in their pantry. In my wife’s native Colombia, the
national dish, ajiaco, is a soup made with several different
varieties of potato. The starchier spuds disintegrate,
thickening the broth, while the waxier ones stay firm. You
end up with an awesome textural mix. This soup alone is
reason enough to make me consider expanding my potato
pantry.
Here’s a chart to help you decide which potatoes are right
for a given application:

APPLICATIONS HIGH-

STARCH

POTATOES

(Russets,

Idaho)

MEDIUM-

STARCH

POTATOES

(Yukon

Golds,  Yellow

Finn,   Bintje,

round   white

potatoes)

Baking  Whole Best: potatoes

turn    out

fluffy  and

moist   with

Not

recommended;

wet and sticky

results.