From their farm in Angus, Andrew and Amy Skea are working to bring blue, red and pink potatoes back onto our plates.
The couple represents the third generation of potato growers in the family at Auchterhouse. More than 50 years have passed since the Skeas moved to East Mains Farm, after growing potatoes further up the Glen for years.
While seed potatoes for gardeners and home growers has been the main part of their business Potato House for more than 20 years, they expanded last year.
Potato House now sends out bags of red, white and blue potatoes to home cooks and professional chefs, leading the revival of heritage potatoes.
Amy says: “With lockdown, people started experimenting more in the kitchen.
“There’s a huge interest in the weird and wonderful, and heritage potatoes are getting a good revival in restaurants and at home.
“Many people think our potatoes are a new thing, but it’s not. Some are 100 years old or more.
“Ten years ago, people didn’t care so much where their food came from or the history of it. Now, it’s everything. People are really interested.”
Tatties in all colours and sizes
Heidi, Cara and Annelise may sound like a group of ladies, but they are actually part of Potato House’s to-eat range.
Heidi has a light red colour, Annelise is a purple-y blue and Cara looks like an everyday potato. But despite the cool colours, Amy insists they are just like normal potatoes.
She even admits to just shoving them in the microwave 20 years ago.
“I didn’t have a clue! I had no idea you shouldn’t boil a floury one because it will disintegrate,” she laughs.
“Now I know there’s different kinds of potatoes and different colours.”
As Amy answers all enquiries from customers, part of her job is matching people to potatoes. Whether someone’s looking for roasties, mash, chips or boiled potatoes, she has the perfect fit.
The rule of thumb:
- Floury potato for chips and roasties
- Smooth potato for mash
- Waxy potato for boiling
- Colour is just an added bonus
We are renowned for having an array of coloured seed potatoes! The purples, the pinks and the blues! #seedpotatoes#redpotatoes#bluepotatoes#growyourownpotatoes#tiptoptatties#whatpotatowilligrowin2022https://t.co/gV0tODArD6 pic.twitter.com/hpkpbuQe0J
— Potato House 🥔 (@PotatoHouseUK) November 22, 2021
“It’s the same techniques for making anything. Cooking a red potato is no different to a normal potato,” she explains.
“But the result, pink or purple stuff on your plate, it’s unusual and people like that for dinner parties, Sunday roasts or Christmas.”
Potato House family team
Potato House usually has around six varieties on offer in the to-eat range. The grow range is larger, because it takes less space to store compared to growing.
When introducing the to-eat range, Amy imagined reaching out to a new group of customers. But she’s found many home growers want to try before they plant.
With the potato planting season about to reach its peak, it’s all hands on deck in Auchterhouse. Even her children Calum, 16, Catriona, 15, and Morag, 12, are putting in their hours.
“They’re in the store packing up seeds during the Easter holidays,” Amy says.
“In October they dig out trial plots by hand, so I think we’ve got the last of the tattie howkers in Scotland.”
While they have a farm full of coloured tatties, they aren’t everyday food. As they are grown in smaller quantities, they are slightly pricier.
Potato House’s organic to eat tatties start at £10.95 and go up to £15.95 for 5kg including delivery.
Despite the cost of living, Amy thinks people value quality, local ingredients and will prioritise fancy potatoes now and then.
She says: “It’s quite exciting because the family chefs are experimenting a lot more now.
“You might think a potato is a potato, but there’s lots of different things you can do with it.”
Conversation