Why do home-stored potatoes have a different flavor in the winter than in the summer?
Irish potatoes stored at temperatures below 55 degrees F. will taste sweeter and be stringier than those stored at warmer temperatures. At temperatures less than 55 degrees F., enzymes within the tuber convert starch into sugars causing the sweet taste and stringy consistency. Potatoes to be eaten should never be stored in the refrigerator. Sugars within the potatoes can be converted back into starch by storing the potatoes at temperatures above 65 degrees F. for a week or two prior to use. Some gardeners store potatoes in large lots in cooler temperatures to keep them from sprouting and keep a small quantity inside their house for immediate consumption. 10. Q: My potato plants produced small tomatoes this year. I planted them next to my tomatoes. Could they have crossed or have my potatoes mutated? A: The fruit on the potato plant is actually the fruiting structure of the potato plant. The potato and tomato belong to the same botanical family and have similar growth characteristics. T
