La Bonnotte - the world's most expensive potato

Think of the most expensive foods in the world. You might think of White truffles, Saffron, maybe Kobe beef from Japan.

But would you ever think: potatoes? Of course not.

Believe it or not, the La Bonnotte potato variety is one of the most expensive foods in the world. Dubbed as the King of the potato, a single kilogram could cost you as much as USD 700. This may seem preposterous, but it’s a potato fact.

The La Bonnotte potato variety can only be grown on the Isle Noirmoutier, an island off the west coast of France. Annual production is in the region of just 3,800-4,500 tons. Small chips in the world of potatoes. But still, why so expensive?

The tubers of this potato variety are so fragile they must be planted and harvested by hand. During the growing season, these plants are also traditionally fertilized from algae and seaweed hand picked from the shores of the island, a practice which gives La Bonnotte potatoes a distinctive salty taste.

Potatoes are planted in February each year and harvested in May. Everything must be done by hand uniformly or simultaneously, from planting, to fertilizing, and finally to harvest.

Delivery of the potatoes to market should also be done on the same day throughout the world. This is to maintain both the integrity and freshness of the potato and ensure a uniform taste when eaten throughout the world.

For me, the standard white potatoes I get from my local store are good enough, but if you're fortunate enough to earn enough money that all sense and perspective fly out of the window, then this potato is right up your alley.

They probably make a really nice mash.

The Jersey Royal - a Kidney Fluke

The Jersey Royal is a variety of the International Kidney that was originally cultivated in the seaweed-rich soils of the Island of Jersey in the Channel Islands.

This potato variety, originally coined the Jersey Royal Fluke, was "discovered" in 1878 by Hugh de la Haye. At the time a wide variety of potatoes were grown in Jersey, and de la Haye by chance spotted and bought two unusual-looking and large round potatoes in a local shop.

He took them home, later inviting some friends to observe the potatoes, one of which had 15 'eyes' from which new plants could sprout. The friends then carefully cut this potato into 16 pieces and planted the pieces.

The following spring, the pieces produced a large and early crop. Although the "parent" and most of the new crop were round in shape, one potato plant produced only uniquely kidney-shaped potatoes.

It was that plant and its produce that were then carefully cultivated and soon named as the Jersey Royal that we all know and love!

Potato Beach

Fancy a holiday on Potato Beach?

Praia da Batata (Potato Beach) is located 5km from the centere of historic Lagos, Portugal.

The beach is named for the potato like rocks on the beach and off shore.

Movie starch

You could once buy a ticket to the movies with a potato.

Thanks to our friends at The Potato Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico for that one!

Cooking tip of the week

Short of time?

TIP: Cut your potatoes smaller to reduce cooking time.

But not too small, eh, else you run the risk of them turning to sludge.

Pommes de terre

Just like the surface of the Earth, potatoes are only 20% solid, the rest is water.

French fried

"The great mass of the French nation is formed by the simple addition of homologous magnitudes, much as potatoes in a sack form a sack of potatoes."

Karl Marx