Ask Dr. Potato

Q: What size potato should I buy for my restaurant? I serve baked, homemade mashed and home fries (you know those cut up potatoes cooked on a griddle or flat top with onions and sometimes peppers or mushrooms).

Q: At a conference I overheard a chef say she was moving potatoes into the salad bowl on her menu, but never caught the rest of the conversation. Besides the obvious, potato salad... what might she have been talking about?

Q: I know people sing the praises of the perfect Idaho® French fry or mashed potatoes as a comfort food, but have you ever heard of fully grown adults getting so worked up about a potato dish at a restaurant that it becomes a special occasion, just to experience it week after week and year after year? Surely ruminating on favorite potato dishes is good for the creative soul.

Q: We have a restaurant an hour away from us that serves floppy raw fries. They’re cut like potato chips; about 1.5mm thick and deep fried just enough to be done. They’re dripping in grease and almost soggy. My husband is having a fit for me to make him some. I don’t have a deep fryer, just my trusty iron skillet about 3″ deep. Can you please tell me how to cook them? The internet is full of recipes for crispy fries, from what I’ve read people hate soggy fries, but they’re absolutely out of this world!!! We bought a mandolin v slicer to cut them on. What cooking method would you recommend?

Q: Why did my baked potatoes turn brown on the inside when they were baked? We baked a large order of baked potatoes for fundraising events using convection ovens. We baked at 425 degrees F for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Most of the time they turn out great but the last batch were 90 count potatoes and turn brown on the inside. We normally only use the 100 count sized potatoes.

Q: Is it ok to eat potatoes that have turned green? A friend told me that they read on the internet that a green potato is poisonous and to immediately throw it out. He also said they taste bitter when green.

Q: We are covering fruits and vegetables in our classroom this season. Of course, I am going to use Idaho® russets for the potato section to have the students make a working clock and we are showing how to grow a potato just from the eyes. However, I need some fun historical tidbits to share. Got any?

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Q: We want to preserve our fresh cut fries and have been told to submerge them in a bath of cold water with E233 to preserve the freshness. What are your comments on how effective this method would be?

Q: I sliced up peeled potatoes and tossed them in oil and butter to cook them in a shallow aluminum tray. Then I covered them overnight and many of them turned black. If we bake them, are they okay to eat?