can them. Because consumers demand it, they usually peel potatoes before processing, an

unfortunate fact because much of the nutrients peel off with the skin. Industrial peeling is quick

and efficient process, very different than what we do in our kitchens. Instead of hundreds of

grandmotherly types peeling away with paring knives, abrasive rollers and discs with powerful

water sprays remove the skin. Another method is immersion in a hot caustic solution of sodium

hydroxide for a few minutes. This bath softens the skin sufficiently so that powerful water spray

and brushes easily remove it. A third method uses pressurized steam to soften the peel, and again

powerful water spray and brushes remove it.

Potatoes destined to be French fries receive a blanching in hot water to gelatinize the

starch. This improves the texture and reduces oil absorption. (The industry doesn't reduce oil

absorption to lower your fat intake. The most expensive part of frying potatoes is the oil, so they

try to reduce oil that goes out the door with the potatoes.) Blanching also kills the potato and

stops enzyme activity, giving the product a much longer shelf life. Finally, blanching leaches out

some of the sugar from the potato, that may caramelize in the hot oil, that would give too dark

color and a slightly bitter, even burnt flavor.

Remember those smooth, creamy mashed potatoes they served in the school cafeteria that

tasted like puréed and creamed talcum powder? They make them from dehydrated potatoes

which have shelflife measured in decades (if not centuries). The packaged instant potatoes are

the same species. To make them, the processor peels the raw potatoes, blanches and cools them,

then heats them up again in water and steam to cook for 20 to 30 minutes before mashing them.

They add an emulsifier to prevent stickiness followed by more chemicals to prevent darkening,

and still others to prevent oxidation. After cooling and drying there is a mass of dried white

lumps, which they break up into granules or flakes. And there you have instant mashed potatoes

for the non-cooks.

Spuds in your kitchen

You cannot easily duplicate ideal storage conditions for potatoes in your home so don't

buy more than what you can use in a few weeks. Thick-skinned potatoes keep longer than the

thin-skinned varieties. If stored above 50°F (10°C), potatoes begin to sprout, which makes them

flabby and more susceptible to decay, even though most storage potatoes are chemically treated

to delay (but not stop) sprouting.

If you store them in your refrigerator, potatoes turn sweet and taste unpleasant. Here is

what happens. After harvesting, the still-living potatoes continue to breathe and to convert their

starch to sugar at a slow rate, the way they naturally do. When you quickly cool them to

refrigerator temperature, potatoes slow their breathing rate (because breathing slows at cooler

temperature), but the reaction that converts starch to sugar continues at the same rate. They

cannot use up the sugar fast enough, it accumulates and refrigerated potatoes taste too sweet. The

sugar converts back to starch if you return the potatoes to room temperature, but the process

doesn't reverse completely. Because of the increased sugar, refrigerated potatoes are particularly

poor choice for frying. The sugar caramelizes in the hot oil, the potatoes tend to burn and

become bitter.

You should store potatoes under well-ventilated conditions so they can continue to

breathe. That is one reason why the plastic bags in which they are sold always have little

breathing holes.

For long-term storage, add an apple to the potatoes. The presence of apple preserves

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