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| Fig. 1 Fingerling Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) |
Fingerling Potatoes are small, narrow, and elongated potato tubers in their mature stage. Some varieties resemble the shape of fingers (Fig. 1), hence the term fingerling. Other varieties have distorted shapes because of deep eyes (Fig. 3) but they still count as fingerling because they meet the size. Fingerling potatoes range from one to two inches in diameter and with lengths ranging from two to three inches.
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| Fig. 2 Assorted varieties of fingerling potatoes in various colors |
Posh price for posh potatoes. Fingerling potatoes have now become popular in upscale grocery stores. They are turning up on the featured
entrées on menus of fine restaurants in big cities. The novelty of their petite size, unusual colors (including deep purple) and texture provide extra drama on the otherwise traditional potato. Its posh position in the modern culinary world is reflected on its price tag. Try going to the stores and compare the price against the other potato varieties and you will come up with a price that is three to five times more expensive.
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| Fig. 3 Etiolated sprouts grown in the dark. |
From my pantry to my garden. From time to time we would buy a bag of fingerling potatoes from Costco - but this time the tubers started to sprout before we could eat them all. They were stored in a dark corner of my pantry hence the etiolated white sprouts (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3).
Etiolated sprouts are not fit for planting because of their lack of vigor. So I placed them in a tray by the window sill to expose the tubers to diffused-light. After ten days the sprouts looked more sturdy and vigorous producing the necessary pigmentation (Fig. 4). Now, that is the appearance of a seed tuber that promises a good crop (Fig. 4).
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| Fig. 4 Green and vigorous sprouts - qualities of a good seed tuber. |
Sometimes the pantry can be a source of planting materials.
