By Gemma Carroll The story goes that in 1853, at a Saratoga Springs diner, in New York, a wealthy and somewhat unpleasant customer sent his fried potatoes back to the kitchen, complaining that they were too soggy, and didn’t have enough salt. George Crum, the cook, in a fit of customer rage, sliced more potatoes…
By Gemma Carroll In recent media there has been a lot of noise about superfoods. A superfood is defined as being rich in compounds beneficial to a person’s health. It’s a nutrient dense food. It’s definitely time for our ‘humble’ spud to take it’s place in the spotlight. There has been too much chatter in…
Potatoes New Zealand’s Research & Development programme are excited to launch their latest project. The Potato Nutrient Emissions Project (PNZ-79) is a multi-workstream national project aimed at analyzing nitrate uptake and nutrient leaching, Teralytic probe data efficacy and Overseer prediction validation for potato crops in multiple regions throughout New Zealand. The overall aims are: The…
From time to time I like to spend a pleasant hour or two browsing through my collection of old food books. They range from the really historical – nutrition texts from the 1930s – through to total Kiwi classics – Alison Holst’s first book, for example, or the Hudson & Halls Cookbook from 1977. These…
Thirteen young New Zealand horticulture leaders visited world-leading innovative growers, researchers, and business in the Netherlands to expand their horizons and bring back valuable insights to New Zealand. This is part of arguably the most collaborative industry-driven program ever seen in the primary industries. The inaugural international horticultural immersion program (IHIP) Is supported by AGMARDT…
From the first day I stepped off the plane and visited the breathtaking Agriport A7 growing centre, cooperation and collaboration between businesses was startling. These state-of-the-art greenhouses spanned a staggering 30 hectares. It became clear the owners alone could not have achieved this in isolation. With its self-driving carts doing the hard yards and the…
Fast facts Name: Charlotte BowanAge: 37Location: South CanterburyWork: General Manager at Heartland Potato ChipsGrows: I don’t actually grow the potatoes these are grown by my father and brother. I manage the family owned business where we use the potatoes we grow and turn these into – Heartland Chips. How did you first become involved in…
It’s cold out there! All of a sudden, it feels like, winter is upon us. And with that comes the urge to head inside and hibernate somewhere warm and cosy. We also crave different foods in winter. I don’t know about you, but I lose my interest in crisp, cold salads around about now, and…
By Niki Bezzant Last week I attended a fascinating workshop called ‘The Genomic Kitchen’, focusing on the science of nutrigenomics. This emerging science explores how different foods may interact with our genes. It investigates how common food chemicals in the diet could affect our health by altering the expression of genes and the structure of…
Fast facts Name: Robin Oakley Age: 49 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Work: Oakleys Premium Fresh Vegetables Grows: Potatoes, Candy Beetroot, Pumpkin, Broccoli How did you first become involved in the potato industry? We all had vegetable gardens at home from a very young age and were encouraged by parents and grandparents on how and what to do. There…
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