The whole world’s
gone potatoes!

Did you know that the United Nations has designated 2008 the International Year of the Potato? Throughout 2008, the (UN) will work to increase awareness of the importance of the potato around the world. The potato has great potential as a food in developing nations, where the (UN) will promote the research and development of potato-based systems.

So, why the potato? Potato plants are prolific producers: hectare for hectare, potato crops weigh in at three to four times more than wheat or rice. Plus, potatoes are more drought-resistant and nutritious than conventional crops. It’s for these reasons that the (UN) hopes to bring the potato to developing nations to help eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and ensure environmental sustainability.

Closer to home, The Little Potato Company will work to support the (UN) and its efforts through a number of local initiatives. We’ll provide more information as these events unfold

The little potato of the
month: Piccolo

Choosing the potato of the month is no easy task. With so many delicious potato varieties how can you choose just one? With the holidays just around the corner, the Piccolo was the obvious choice. With its crowd-pleasing sweet, creamy smoothness, the Piccolo will bring a little something special to your holiday table. It can be roasted with savoury herbs and spices, but is equally delicious served plain with some butter and dill.

A couple potato tips

  • Calling all moms! Winter’s here, and so is cold season. You give your family orange juice in the morning, but you can also give them an extra boost of Vitamin C at suppertime, too – a single serving of potatoes provides 45% of your daily requirements of Vitamin C.
  • If you have an “oops” with the salt shaker while cooking vegetables for Christmas dinner, put one or two sliced little potatoes in the pot to help soak up the excess salt.

The Little Potato Company moves into Ontario’s A&P stores

The Little Potato Company is delighted to announce that our potatoes have just been listed in A&P stores in Ontario. A&P and Dominion are a chain of over 150 outlets in rural Ontario and GTA. Their store motto is “obsessed about fresh” and they are considered a leader in the Produce category in Ontario, backing everything they sell with 100% guarantee. This chain is an excellent fit with The Little Potato Company and the care and pride we take in providing the freshest, most delicious and nutritious potatoes to Canadian families.

Look for our Baby Boomer, Piccolo, Blushing Belle and popular Terrific Trio varieties in stores today. If you’re already a little potato fan, please pass along the news to friends and family in Ontario, or better still, forward them this fun and informative newsletter!



Where can you find us
Looking for little potatoes? You can find our delicious varieties at the following major grocery chains and wholesalers across Canada:

• A&P / Dominion • Loblaw’s / RCSS • IGA (BC)
• Sobeys Ontario • Sobeys Quebec • Costco • Safeway
• Overwaitea / Save-On-Food • Calgary Co-Op
• Federated Co-op Stores • Thrifty Foods • Quality Foods
• Coopers Markets

Little Potatoes – your holiday helpers!

Holiday recipes

There are so many uses for little potatoes, and since they don’t need washing or peeling, they’re incredibly easy to prepare – something that will certainly be appreciated during the busy Christmas season!

Here are a couple of recipes to help make holiday mealtime both easy and special. Try the hearty and warm bacon, potato and cheese frittata on Christmas morning – the family will love the flavour combination. And for a twist on the old holiday dinner table staple, mashed potatoes, why not offer roasted garlic, rosemary and balsamic little potatoes? They’re a perfect match for roast poultry, and can be cooked in the oven right alongside the turkey.

Bacon, potato and cheese frittata
1lb (500g) BABY BOOMER POTATOES
8 bacon slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
10 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water for about 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Cut cooled potatoes into 1/4 inch (3mm) thick slices.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until brown and crisp; drain on paper towel. Discard any fat in pan.

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease an 8 inch (20cm) square baking pan. Heat oil in same pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Add onion mixture, bacon, potatoes and cheese to pan.

Whisk the eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Pour over the potato mixture and swirl the pan to make sure egg mixture is evenly distributed. Cook, uncovered, in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until set and golden.

Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a plate and cutting into small squares. Serve warm.

Garlic, balsamic and rosemary
roasted potatoes
2 lbs (1kg) TERRIFIC TRIO POTATOES,
? halved (if desired)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 garlic cloves, bruised
3 rosemary sprigs
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Combine all ingredients
on a large greased baking sheet; arrange in a single layer. Cook in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, turning once during cooking, until potatoes are tender. Serves 6.




Christmas kids crafts

Little people love to be involved with all the excitement in the household during the Christmas season. Here are a few fun little potato craft ideas that will both keep them busy and let them contribute to the important job of decorating the house!

Little potato snowpeople village

You’ll need:

• 20-30 little potatoes (we
? suggest?theTerrific Trio for its
? variety of colours)
• toothpicks
• glue
• decorations from the craft drawer:
? glitter, pipe cleaners, felt, buttons
• decorations from the pantry:
? raisins, seeds, candied fruit, small
? pasta shapes

Cut the bottoms off a few of the potatoes so they’ll stand up flat. Then have fun making your potato snowpeople! Decorate a few of the bodies with glitter, or maybe make a felt skirt or hat. Some could have pipe cleaner scarves. Make eyes and noses from raisins or candied fruit, and use a penne or rotini noodle for a nose. Then assemble your potato snowpeople with toothpicks and arrange on a cutting board wrapped with wrapping paper for display.


Potato “play” dough

You’ll need:

• 1 bag little potatoes
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups flour

Bake the potatoes, in the skin, until soft inside. Peel, and discard peel. Mash potatoes, or for a fine, even texture use a potato ricer. Combine 1 - 1 1/2 cups of flour to every 2 cups of mashed potato and form a dough. Divide the dough into smaller batches, and add a few drops of different food colouring to each.

Potato stamped gift tags
and Christmas cards
A twist on the old-world tradition of using potatoes to stamp decorations on paper.

You’ll need:

• a few little potatoes cut in half
• paint
• crayons, pencil crayons
• ruler
• card paper
• scissors
• hole punch for ribbon or string
? for gift tags

Draw out the size of your Christmas gift tags or cards with a pencil and a ruler. Then draw a snowman, snow angel, Christmas tree or house with crayons or pencil crayons. Decorate your drawings by dipping the potatoes in the paint and stamping them on the paper. Let your paper dry flat.
Happy Holiday

from The Little Potato Company