Everything about potatoes (and why I am a fan of Princesse Amandine)

If I have to choose one potato, it is the Princesse Amandine. Flavorful, buttery soft, and delicious in its delicate skin, which you never have to peel. A good brush under the tap and it's ready.

What makes her stand out for me:

• Never peeled. The skin is so fine that you just cook and eat it. That saves time, and you keep the fibers and vitamins that are just under the skin.
• Buttery soft yet firm boiling. She stays whole in the pan, oven, or air fryer, but is creamy on the inside.
• Flavorful on its own. A pinch of sea salt and a knob of butter, that's all she needs.
• Uniform shape. The elongated potatoes are roughly the same size, so they cook evenly and immediately look tasty on your plate.

Amandine is a cross between the potato varieties Charlotte and Mariana, so a relative of one of the best-known firm-boiling potatoes. And you can taste it!

Did you know that the taste of a potato depends on the soil in which it grows? Just like with wine, each terroir gives a different flavor! The ideal soil has as few stones as possible, because they give the potatoes shocks.

Potatoes have gotten a bit of a bad reputation in recent years, but in my opinion completely undeserved. Certainly when boiled, steamed, or baked, they are nutritious tubers that you can put on your plate with confidence.

• Filling and nutritious. Perfect after a busy day.
• Lighter than their reputation. Cooked, you’re looking at around 75 to 80 kcal per 100 grams, less than cooked pasta or rice.
• Vitamin C, potassium, and B6. Potatoes provide all three.
• Fiber, especially in the skin. If you eat the thin skin, like with Princesse Amandine, you get extra fiber.
• A fun fact. If you let your cooked potatoes cool, part of the starch becomes resistant starch, a type of fiber. Perfect for potato salad and meal prep!
• Naturally gluten-free. If you buy ready-made potato products, always check the label.

To be fair: how you prepare them makes the difference. Fries from the fryer or a gratin with lots of cream are best enjoyed together, but not for everyday consumption (although I would like to). Crispy without frying? Try the air fryer or oven with a teaspoon of olive oil, delicious!

Now that you know what each potato does, it really gets fun. This is where I get the inspiration for my own recipes, and I hope you get excited about it too.

1. Princesse Amandine: pure and without fuss

Amandine is a firm cook, and that is her strength: she excels at everything where a potato must remain whole. And you can go either way:

• Cook or steam in the skin, halve and let it glaze with a knob of butter and fresh herbs.
• In the pan fry until golden brown, preferably the day before.
• In the oven with rosemary and garlic, like Hasselback fanned open like an accordion, or in wafer-thin slices in a gratin.
• In the air fryer in wedges: crispy on the edges and buttery soft on the inside. Schillfood at its best!

And it is the basis of my most nostalgic dish: grandma's potatoes with buttermilk sauce, a poached egg and hand-peeled gray shrimp. One bite and I'm sitting at the table with her again. You can find the recipe here.

It is also great in a lukewarm potato salad. If you let the potatoes cool first, you will get an additional bonus (see above).

2. Floral: for comfort food moments

For mashed potatoes, stoemp or fries, choose a floury potato. The abundance of starch ensures that airy interior.