There are many and varied varieties. They can all do the same thing but some better than others.

Desiree is a good all-round potato, a pink fir apple is excellent boiled and for salads, then there are cranberry red fantastic for mash, the list just goes on and on.

Self confessed potato connoisseurs Robyn Jackson and Norman Gair started Highlands Gourmet Potatoes and have planted ‘gourmet potatoes’ on four different paddocks in and around Wildes Meadow.

Selling only at farmers or growers markets the couple have found their niche market.

Potato farming runs through the veins of Ms Jackson in particular.

“One of my earliest memories is at my grandfather’s place; he used to grow potatoes in Robertson,” she said.

“As a kid we were allowed to pick up the chats that were left on the ground after the professional people picked up the other ones. I guess I have had something to do with potatoes.”

The partners started out hand-planting potatoes to supply the stall that they had at Bowral Farmers Market.

Then they had to dig them up with a fork.

Today they have a tractor and a planter.

Mr Gair said this year they started planting in mid-August because they needed an early crop.

“Basically what happened is, after doing Bowral Farmers Markets last year we then started at Eveleigh Farmers’ Markets and that was really successful,” he said.

“But we ran out of potatoes. We didn’t have enough to cover every Saturday.

“Following on from that friends of ours who were doing Pyrmont markets decided to get out of it.

“Their first market is always the first market of December.

“We weren’t going to take the risk, as it is about $2200 an acre to plant, but we decided to.

“There was the chance the potatoes we planted might have been hit by a frost, so we didn’t put many in. We just put in enough to see us through.”

The business has become a family affair with a daughter and sons helping out with the picking and planting as well as selling at the market day stalls.

More importantly they help out with research and development. Many nights are spent sitting around the kitchen table, testing and digesting the ‘gourmet potatoes’.

The dirt left on the potato is not a clever marketing ploy, but one to keep them fresher.

Mr Gair said they don’t wash the potatoes because it shortens their shelf-life.

“Wash them when you are going to use them,” he said.

“Potatoes should be stored in paper, or a box in a dark ventilated place.”

*Highlands Gourmet Potatoes can be found at Bowral Farmers’ Market at the Moss Vale Showground on the second Saturday of the month; the Sydney Morning Herald Growers’ Market at Pyrmont on the first Saturday of the month; and Eveleigh Farmers’ Market every Saturday. Or email bigspud@acenet.com.au.

*Some more varieties of potatoes:

Sapphire: purple flesh that stays purple when cooked, good for mash or as thin fries.

Necta: a firm, waxy potato. Excellent baked in foil or roasted.

Purple congo: good for gnocchi, salads, microwaving, boiling and steaming. It has a very dry texture when cooked.