24 January 2022
First day back from Christmas break, a new year, a new semester and a real sense of a new beginning. Covid restrictions lifted and a bright almost spring like day, joy!
Solanaceae Family (Nightshade)
“The new potato, sound as stone, putrefied when it had lain three days in the long clay pit.
Millions rotted along with it.
Mouths tightened in, eyes died hard, faces chilled to a plucked bird.
In a million wicker huts beaks of famine snipped at guts”
Seamus Heaney; excerpt from ‘At a Potato Digging’
Potatoes-Solanum tuberosum
Diving into our first lecture of the morning Paula looked at our beloved spud. Part of the Solanaceae family this Andes derived tuber is associated with Ireland world over. Potatoes make up 1.7% of the world’s total calorie consumption, coming 6th in the most important crops across the globe, with other tubers in at 4th place, the humble spud is credited as giving rise to modern industrial agriculture, an infamous tag. Introduced into Europe in the 16th century by South American explorers potatoes were hailed as a saviour, relieving many countries from the constant threat of famine. History of course proved this a pernicious event, with Ireland paying the ultimate cost of reliance on a singular crop, when the devastating Blight destroyed the entire potato crop in the land leading to mass emigration and over a million deaths from starvation. The potato had caused division in the land prior to the fatal Blight with political slogans from 1765 declaring “No potatoes, No Popery” used by Protestant fractions of the time. For all this, the potato is still intrinsically linked with the cuisine of Ireland and is still a daily staple and much loved by many.
Growing
When purchasing potatoes for either home or culinary use, one would be excused for believing there are limited varieties to choose from, a consequence of our mono culture growing methods perhaps. Not so, with over 5,000 varieties there is a spud for every occasion and taste bud. Classified according to their time of maturity, potatoes are divided into First early, Second early, Early maincrop and Late maincrop. Early varieties have a lower yield but can often be harvested before Blight arrives, with later crops producing a higher yield and often stored over winter. Klaus Laitenberger tells us that potatoes like a fertile, frost free, free draining site. Benefitting greatly from a good application of well-decomposed compost or manure, it is important not to use too much fresh manure as this can cause the plant to grow into leaf, meaning all the energy is put into the leaves over-ground at the expense of the tuber underground. Traditionally first earlies were planted from seed or chits in Ireland on St Patricks day, Paula cautions that there is still a good chance of frost at this time and advices waiting until the ground warms up slightly and chances of frost are reduced. Potatoes are grown from Seed potatoes or ‘chits’. Small well-formed potatoes are allowed to start to go to seed in controlled ways and are planted when there is no chance of frost. Planting of Earlies should be deep, (10 -15 cm) and approx. 25cm apart with 50cm between rows. Maincrop, because of a higher yield expectation should be more generous with spacing 35cm between plants and 75cm between rows. The plants need space to develop, and are generally planted in either ridges or double rows.
Pests and disease
Rotation, as is the case with many crops is essential to help avoid a wide range of diseases. Alongside the well-known and feared Blight, potatoes can be at risk of other diseases like Blackleg, annihilation from slugs, keel slugs and wire worms. Blight warnings are common throughout Europe to help growers protect their precious crop. Varieties including Orla, Rooster and Charlotte are particularly good against blackleg, with Setanta, Sarpo Axima and Cara good against Blight.
Gardening books and websites are packed full of information on how to successfully grow and harvest our favourite vegetable. Home growers utilise many forms of growing, no dig, polytunnel, grow bags, deep barrels and many have great success, if not always great yield. In my own experience I remember every household having a “Drill” of spuds, with great admiration and even reverence bestowed on the grower of certain spuds. Personally, I grew potatoes for the first time (as an adult) at the start of lockdown 2020, I harvested exactly 13 potatoes! Lucky for me.
It is not surprising that as a class of chef’s discussion on potatoes and their uses was animated. Everyone has a favourite, from the waxy or floury first earlies, thicker skinned maincrop, purple hued, pink tinged, to the yellow and starchy, their versatility and ability to go with everything (if your Irish) is undeniable. There is something so comforting and hopeful about this staple. Anticipation for the first early balls of fluff to the late winter crop, just add salt and butter, what else? Pure comfort.
Tomatoes-Solanum lycopersicum
Potatoes of course are not the only members of nightshade edibles. Tomatoes, Aubergine and Peppers are also part of this family. Also descendant from the wilds of the Andes, tomatoes appear to have increased in interest in Ireland in recent years. I do not recall anyone growing tomatoes locally from my childhood, but lately every second hanging basket seems to be full of tiny toms. There is something very satisfying about picking this ‘fruit’ fresh from the vine and biting into its soft warm juicy flesh surrounded by the perfume of the tomatoes growing. They can be tricky to grow, however, following some basic good husbandry guidelines and expert opinions can produce an abundance of glory.
Tomatoes need heat and light, they grow poorly under 10°C and varieties can differ in their individual requirements. Joy Larkcom urges new growers to look to their neighbours and see what varieties have been successful, ask why and emulate. In Ireland most tomatoes are grown in greenhouses or polytunnels but there are a few that do well outdoors, particularly in a good warm summer. Paula gave a detailed outline of characteristics and requirements pointing out the differences between determinate and in-determinate classifications. In a good year tomatoes can provide a lot of fruit, a glut that to a chef is manna from heaven. The culinary uses are wide and varied and there is a tomato for every dish. However, it is hard to beat simplicity, warm tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sea salt, a hint of fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil and a glass of chilled white wine. Heaven.
Crop check.
A quick trek to our class polytunnel and garden area showed us that the salad crop in the polytunnel was doing very well. The Butterhead in particular looked vibrant, full and plentiful. The sorrel had stretched its arms and was ready for harvesting outer leaves. Unfortunately, some Downey mildew had set up home on the frieze variety and some plants were lost. Outside the beans and long stem broccoli were doing fine with the addition of some surprise fungi growing alongside! Paula assured us this would only benefit the soil and was probably as a consequence of using organic spent mushroom compost.
The mornings class went by very quickly; Paula was as usual full of information interested in our experience with the produce she was talking about and open to all our questions. A great class.
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