What's New

New website

If you hadn’t already noticed, consider this a friendly reminder that The Little Potato Company’s brand new website has been launched! Grab a coffee, sit down, go to www.littlepotatoes.com and enjoy some of the great new content.

Looking for mealtime inspiration? Explore the tantalizing “Recipes” section – there’s truly something for every palate and occasion.

Wondering how potatoes compare to other starches? We’ve included a robust “Nutritional Information” section that will help you make smart menu selections for your family.

Friends and family asking where they can find LPC potatoes? Our convenient “Store Locator” will point them in the right direction.

Share your feedback!

After you’ve had a look through the new Little Potato Company website, we’d really appreciate hearing your feedback. Please send us an email to let us know how we can make the site even better!

What are you cooking?

With several unique varieties and so many different ways to cook them, we know the potato preparation possibilities are endless!

If you’ve got a little potato recipe that’s a real crowd-pleaser, we’d love to hear about it.

Submit your creation on our website at www.littlepotatoes.com. Just go to “Recipes”, then “Submit Recipes”!

LPC – Mais oui

LPC has recently expanded its distribution into Ontario and Quebec, so we’re delighted to announce that for the first time ever this newsletter will be offered in French as well. We hope our Eastern Canadian clientele will be as thrilled as we are with this new initiative. Merci and bon appétit!

Correction Notice:

Our thanks to all LPC fans who have already started thinking about the previously announced recipe contest. We have decided to run the contest later in the year instead to allow for even more great entries. More information to come in future newsletters…

What's Cooking

Little Potato of the Month:

Terrific Trio

Choosing the potato of the month is no easy task. With so many delicious varieties how can you choose just one? This month’s potato variety was picked with versatility in mind – the versatility that could only come from having three great varieties together in one bag. Naturally, we’re talking about the Terrific Trio!

Rich, vibrant and deliciously different, the Terrific Trio includes a

blue variety in addition to our red and yellow varieties. The Terrific Trio is best for boiling, roasting and grilling, making it your perfect summer side companion.

Warm Potato Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing

CREAMY MUSTARD DRESSING
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper

WARM POTATO SALAD
2 lbs (1kg) TERRIFIC TRIO POTATOES
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

To make the creamy mustard dressing, whisk all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

To make the potato salad, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

Combine potatoes, oil, salt and apinch of pepper on prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until golden and tender; cut in half if desired.

Add potatoes to the dressing. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm or chilled. Serves 8.

For more delicious, easy recipes visit our website at www.littlepotatoes.com.

More Great Summer Recipe Ideas

Chicken, Potato and
Asparagus Stir-fry

Fresh spring asparagus, potatoes and chicken combine in this quick and delicious one-pan meal for busy week-night dining ‘al fresco’.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb (500g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb (500g) BABY BOOMER POTATOES, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 bunch (1 lb/500g) asparagus, trimmed of woody ends and cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) lengths
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat.

Add chicken, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

Add potatoes, broth, mustard, honey and salt and pepper and cook, covered for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes, broth, mustard, honey and salt and pepper and cook, covered for 10 minutes.

Then cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add asparagus and sour cream and cook, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp and bright and sauce is thickened. Stir in parsley and cheese. Serves 4 to 6.

Salmon, Olive, Bean and Potato Salad

Summer is the season for potato salads, and this one is special enough to be a light meal on its own. For ease of prep, look for jarred roasted red peppers found in the deli section of most grocery stores.

1 lb (500g) PICCOLO POTATOES
8 oz (250g) green beans, trimmed
12 oz (375g) salmon fillet, skin removed
olive oil for brushing on salmon
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1/4 cup black sun dried olives

MAPLE WINE VINAIGRETTE
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the maple wine vinaigrette, put all ingredients in a jar and shake well until combined.

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until tender: drain. Cut cooled potatoes into thick slices.

Blanch beans in large saucepan of boiling water for about 2 minutes or until bright green. Place in iced water and let stand for 5 minutes or until cold; drain.

Brush both sides of salmon with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in large heated grill or frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes each side, depending on thickness of salmon, until salmon is just cooked. Break salmon into large flakes.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Serves 4

Potatoes for Performance

The Olympic Games will be with us again this summer, and for two special weeks we ‘mere mortals’ will have a glimpse of the power and endurance of the world’s best athletes. Watching this, one cannot help but be inspired to make improvements – however small – to our own health and well-being: going for that walk after dinner, running that extra five minutes, or paying a bit more attention to what we eat.

Though many fad diets advise us to avoid carbohydrates, they are an essential fuel to the body during exercise. Incorporating carbohydrates in the diet is especially critical for athletes seeking an edge to improve their performance. Here are some basic facts:

• Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy during both high- and low-intensity activities.
• Carbohydrates spare protein so it can be used to build and repair muscles and make enzymes, hormones and antibodies rather than being used to fuel our bodies.
• Carbohydrates are essential for fat metabolism. Without sufficient carbohydrate fat cannot be burned completely. There is an old saying that “fat burns in a carbohydrate flame”. Think of carbohydrates as the “kindling wood” for required for the fat-burning fire.

• Unlike protein and fat, the body has limited carbohydrate reserves. Dietary carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen primarily in the muscle and liver. During activity, the body relies on this stored glycogen to be released and used for by the muscles and brain for energy. The body’s limited glycogen stores can be depleted in a single bout of exercise of sufficient intensity and duration. Thus, daily carbohydrate intake is necessary to maintain these glycogen stores. If muscle and liver glycogen stores become depleted during exercise, the muscles will be left without fuel and fatigue will set in – a condition known as “hitting the wall.”

Potatoes, in particular, are a very good source of vitamin B-6, containing 21% of our daily requirement per cup. Vitamin B6 isnecessary for the breakdown of glycogen, the form in which sugar is stored in our muscle cells and liver, so this vitamin is a key player in athletic performance and endurance. Pair this with the potato’s other nutritional benefits (excellent source of vitamin C and potassium) and the best carb bang-for-your-bite is clearly the potato.

Sources:
www.healthypotato.com
www.whfoods.com

Mom’s Corner

Summer holidays are the best time of year for kids, but keeping them busy with healthy, fun activities can sometimes be a challenge. With a more relaxed pace at home, summer can be the ideal time to introduce your child to the kitchen, or expand their culinary horizons. And since LPC potatoes require no peeling or slicing, even the littlest ones in the family can help mommy cook.

Here are a few fun, easy recipes for you and your kids to try. Enjoy!

Potato Soldiers

You’ll need:

• 20-25 PICCOLO potatoes
• 6-10 skewers (metal or bamboo; if bamboo, pre-soak in water at least 30 minutes prior to using)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water for about 12 minutes or until almost tender; drain and allow potatoes to cool.

To assemble the soldiers, carefully push one potato at a time onto the skewer, sliding them down as more are added (to a maximum of five).  Combine the olive oil and balsamic in a small bowl. Drizzle the skewers with half the olive oil mixture, reserving the rest for grilling.

Cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with leftover olive oil mixture, until cooked and grill marks appear.

Potatoes with Grass Stains

This is what a potato would look like if it went rolling across the yard – use your imagination!

You’ll need:

• 20-25 AMANDINE potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes or until done. Drain. Combine the potatoes, butter, and parsley in the still-warm pot. Mix and serve immediately.

Hercules Potatoes

You’ll need:

• 20-25 BABY BOOMER potatoes, halved if desired
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• Juice of ½ lemon, plus the other half sliced in wedges to serve

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes

with the olive oil, salt, oregano and lemon juice to coat.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

Place the potatoes on the cookie sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, turning once mid-way.

Sticks and Stones

Kids will have fun assembling this bright, colourful dish.

You’ll need:

• 20-25 BLUSHING BELLE potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, 1 red pepper, 3 medium carrots, julienned
• 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water for about 15 minutes or until done. Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil and set aside to keep warm. Add the remaining butter or olive oil to a large skillet, sauté the carrots over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the red pepper and zucchini. Sauté until all the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1-2 minutes more. Season to taste. To assemble, put down a bed of ‘sticks’ (the sautéed vegetables) on each plate and arrange the ‘stones’ (boiled potatoes) on top.

The Global Potato

Potatoes: Crop of the Future
for China?

As drought continues to wreak havoc on China's farmland, agriculture experts are considering moving away from the traditional staple food - rice - and encouraging farmers to plant potatoes instead. The humble spud is more drought-resistant and it would make a more practical alternative to rice and wheat.

China has more than 20 per cent of the world's population but only seven per cent of its arable land. While farming techniques have been honed during 7,000 years of agriculture, more recent challenges such as pollution are calling for new measures. The Chinese Land and Resources ministry says China has lost nearly seven per cent of its arable land in the past decade, which has suffered badly from pollution and soil erosion.

The potato is more drought-resistant than rice and wheat, which suits China better as 60

per cent of the country's arable land is dry. China is the world's largest grower of potatoes. The potato has historically been a fallback crop in the dusty dry north-west, where it is grown when the wheat crop fails because it can produce at least 60 per cent of its normal yield even in dry times. The local farmers there call the potato a "life-saving grain" because it is classified as a grain crop in China.

"The potato is not only more nutritious, but potato yields per hectare weigh three to four times more than other crops," said Chen Fan, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. All in all, the potato is a good option to meet the food demand of China’s 1.3 billion people.

Source: www.independent.co.uk

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