Ask Dr. Potato

What exactly is the story behind why I need to be concerned about the starch in an Idaho potato when I am making fresh cut French fries?

What are the most common grades of potatoes? Do No. 2 potatoes taste different than No. 1 potatoes?

Can you have someone explain the potato chemistry in cooking?

I want to wow my guests with more than one version of mashed potatoes. Any suggestions?

As a potato expert can you advise me on a situation that has developed at our restaurant?  We serve fresh cut Idaho® Russet Potatoes, we have been doing this for 4 years. Potato quality was consistent over the period. Recently, the over the last month all of the potatoes turn dark in the fryers before they are done. Finished product is very dark and not crispy. We are using the same vegetable fry oil we have always used and change it every 3 days. We 1st cut the potato and then let them sit in 5 gallon buckets of fresh water, until we immerse them in the oil based on orders to the kitchen. Our customers have noticed the change and our quality has suffered. Changing suppliers did not help. I assume there may be a difference in this falls crop? Will the amount of starch or sugars in the potato have something to do with it?

Any thoughts on how to make Latkes using Idaho® Potatoes?

We are currently introducing our stuffed baked potato program using your 50 count Idaho® potatoes, and would like to know how long we are able to keep the potatoes in the hot holding cabinet once they have been baked, and if there is anything we can do to use the leftover potatoes should we have any?

Is there anything interesting to do with leftover mashed Idaho® potatoes?

Is there anything interesting to do with leftover baked Idaho® potatoes?

Do you have a recommendation as to what variety of Idaho® potato I should use for making fresh cut French fries?