Summer residents have long been accustomed to the fruits of potatoes with purple and pink peel, and they successfully grow them on their plots. What about tubers that are intensely purple, not only outside, but also inside? Lilac puree, purple chips, bluish-black French fries ... Unusual and interesting. Should you grow purple potatoes? Than, except for color, it differs from usual. What are the pros and cons of this extraordinary vegetable. List of the best varieties and their characteristics.

Yes, potato varieties with intense purple pulp are considered delicacies. Not only because of their non-standard appearance, but also because of their unusual taste.

It has a pronounced nutty flavor, which, according to fans of garden experiments, does not spoil this root crop at all, on the contrary, it gives it a piquancy.

The unusual color of the pulp is not the result of the labors of genetic engineers, as it is easy to think. It is of natural origin. The pigment is obtained from vegetables growing at the equator and in Africa, and as a result of numerous crosses, acquired the degree of a species trait.

Where did he come from?

It all started with the efforts of breeders to develop new diets of this root crop. In the formation of new varieties, interspecific hybrids were used. The initial material was taken from the parental forms of domesticated species native to South America. The basis was the varieties bred by Ukrainian breeders.

The use of the classical method of sexual hybridization has resulted in varieties, the pulp of which has a different degree of color - from pale lilac to dark purple.

Today, about 120 intermediate samples are involved in the breeding process, which is an excellent result and guarantees, in the future, new fixed hybrids with purple pulp.

It is no secret that potatoes with a standard color of the pulp can be attributed to dietary products with a big stretch, since they contain a large number of calories. But colored in this respect is not so dangerous, besides, it has a lot of useful properties inherent in standard white-yellow varieties to a lesser extent.

Color means health. Benefit!

According to research by nutritionists, colored foods affect the human body in different ways. Of course, they could not pass by such a phenomenon as completely purple potato tubers, and, after careful study, they came to the following conclusions.

This vegetable is high in anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. It turns out that eating purple potatoes in food, we increase immunity, fight colds, lower blood sugar and lose weight, because it contains less starch than yellow or white.

A purple potato tuber absorbs from the soil three times less amount of nitrates, and there is as much vitamin C in two such potatoes as in one lemon.

Growing features

If in the properties one can note some advantages, then this cannot be said about agricultural technology, since purple potatoes are much more whimsical than their colorless "brother" and need special care.

1. First, it is more susceptible to scab and has a low degree of resistance to late blight.
2. Secondly, the Colorado potato beetle - the scourge of all potato growers - attacks plantings with purple pulp of tubers in the first place ( In details: )
3. Thirdly, if you propagate purple varieties with "eyes", the tubers inevitably and catastrophically become smaller, turning into a wild-growing form.

The work continues. Today, 30% of all existing varieties are involved in the selection process. This will make it possible to quickly remove the purple root crop, not only resistant to pests, but also immune to diseases of the family.

For the rest, the agricultural technology of colored potatoes does not differ from the generally accepted one when growing this vegetable. It does not require special conditions.

• Weeding and hilling.
• Regular watering throughout the growing season.
• Disease and pest control.
• Productivity depends on the care and composition of the soil. The most unsuitable soil for purple potatoes is loam. And the best ones are fertile and breathable, with a light structure.

How to cook?

Cooking potatoes of an unusual color is no different from ordinary ones.

Heat treatment, and all the beneficial properties remain in the vegetable, even if boiled in salt water. Purple puree or chips looks original. French fries, pancakes, stuffing, salad. The taste differs from the traditional for the better. The nutty flavor is more or less noticeable in different varieties, but it is present.

Fried colored potatoes

Variety "Vitelot"

Originally, Vitelotte is one of the most popular varieties with blue-violet flesh. It is also called "Negro woman", "French truffle". The tubers are elongated. The core is intensely colored. The rind is dark. The mass of tubers is small - on average from 70 to 100 g. The variety is late - ripening up to 110 days. Potatoes have excellent and long shelf life, retain their color during any heat treatment, and have a rich taste.

Variety "All Blue"

This is the direct name, the translation from English All Blue, from which it immediately becomes clear what color the pulp of this vegetable is. Although, it is more blue-violet than blue, and the rind is dark purple. There is a light ring between the skin and the pulp.

Medium early variety, ripens in 80 days. The tubers are rather large - up to 200 g, but they are not stored for very long. This variety is widespread throughout Europe, it is just beginning to approach us, but it is gaining popularity quickly, because it has an excellent taste. According to its properties, it is considered dietary. It contains a lot of antioxidants. The interesting color is completely retained during frying and baking and turns a little pale during boiling.

Variety "Explosion"

This variety - Explosion, is so named for its early and rapid fruiting. Early ripening, which will delight you with a harvest already 65 days after planting, has a pure purple pulp and the same peel.

By weight, the fruits are different - from 100 to 150 g. The shape is elongated. The difference between this variety and the rest of the purple ones is in its increased resistance to diseases. It also has a high yield. You won't be able to keep the fruits for a long time, but you can cook anything from them. You can even eat the vegetable raw for diet salads.

Variety "Lilac"

This variety was bred in Russia by domestic breeders. Mid-season, ripens in 95 days. The fruit has purple flesh and rind. The shape is oval-rounded. Weight - up to 80 g. Differs in average yield, good keeping quality and resistance to scab and crayfish. The taste is excellent, with a hint of almond. It is considered a valuable dietary product.

Variety "Peruvian purple"

Purple Peruvian is the original name of this variety, which arose as a result of two hundred years of breeding by potato growers living in the highlands of the Andes. Just think, for two hundred years people have been trying to bring out these elongated, covered with many eyes for humanity. For what? So that people enjoy a healthy and dietary product, replacing ordinary potatoes, which in many CIS countries are called "second bread". Late variety. Ripens in 100-110 days. And it does not differ in giant size - the average weight of a root crop is 80 g. The yield is also not the highest. But the taste is wonderful. Walnuts with hazelnuts are clearly visible. A very big difference with regular potatoes. Just a fresh look at the product.

The variety is stored very well and for a long time. It is transported well too. And it retains all its beneficial dietary properties almost until spring. Does not lose them during heat treatment. Real food medicine.

Variety "Adirondack blue"

The name at home is Adirondack Blue. Bred at Cornell University. Differs in the highest yield and oval-rounded fruits, the average weight of which is about 100 g. The best purple chips can be obtained from the tubers of this variety. Ripening periods are average - about 95 days. It is not resistant to diseases and has an average shelf life. But there are enough antioxidants in it to prefer it over traditional neutral-colored potatoes.

Should you grow purple potatoes? Definitely yes. And even if you have nowhere to roam on the site, and there is no room for experimentation, select a bed for a vegetable of a new color, pushing back the good old potatoes. Choose a variety and ripening time. For example, if you traditionally grow a particular variety of winter potatoes, plant several rows of purple early ripening. And see what comes of it.

Already today there are private farms (not industrial) that have completely switched to growing colored potatoes. It doesn't have to be purple. There are pink, blue, orange varieties. Each of them has its own exceptional health benefits. And the table and menu are becoming more interesting, colorful and festive. Color is health. Why not grow a healthy product, even if it's an unusual purple color ?!

»Potato varieties

Not so long ago, an exotic vegetable appeared on store shelves - a purple potato. At first, consumers were wary of it, but when the beneficial properties became known, the situation immediately changed. Besides the exotic color of the pulp allows chefs to create culinary masterpieces, distinguished by their original appearance. True, so far in our country this type of potato is not grown on an industrial scale, but for your own summer cottage, you can easily order seed in the online store.

A characteristic feature of this potato is considered not only the exotic color of the skin, but also the pulp. Wherein shades range from pale pink to deep purple... This unusual plant was obtained without the use of methods of genetic modification: specialists used exclusively methods of classical selection. We crossed the potatoes familiar to us with its wild relative from South America.

Common differences between varieties with purple flesh include:

• tubers have oblong shape;
• pulp does not lose its color even after heat treatment;
• there is a large number of useful trace elements that enhance immunity;
• very well kept due to the presence thick skin.

After cooking, the pulp has a characteristic nutty flavor, which also favorably distinguishes these varieties and expands the possibilities of use in cooking.

What are the purple-fleshed potato varieties called?

Breeders are seriously carried away by breeding varieties with purple pulp, so now there are already quite a few of them. But domestic gardeners very often call this variety much simpler: blue potatoes. However, the essence does not change from this.

Purple-fleshed potatoes are still in the breeding stage, but already now you can purchase some varieties with different color intensities for your summer cottage. The most popular are:

• French purple truffle;
• Black woman;
• Chinese truffle;
• Vitelotte;
• Gourmet;
• Russian black.

It is not yet necessary to speak about volumes sufficient for industrial cultivation, however, stores are happy to present to their customers the indicated varieties for cultivation in summer cottages.

The benefits and harms of potatoes

Purple potatoes deserve attention not only because of their unusual appearance and bright color. It has a lot of useful and healing properties. For example, if you prepare a dish from it in any way, you can easily lower blood pressure in the human body. At the same time, these potatoes can be harmful to people suffering from low blood pressure, should be avoided in the menu of dishes made from colored potatoes.

Due to the presence of antioxidants, purple potatoes are able to slow down the aging process. It contains a large amount of vitamins C, E and carotenoids. The product is not genetically modified, and its unusual color is the result of crossing with wild African and equatorial varieties.

Regular consumption of colored potatoes improves vision and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. Thereby the risk of atherosclerosis is reduced... It also reduces the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Cooking use

In practice, the same dishes are prepared from purple potatoes as from white or cream ones. Moreover, they differ in their original appearance.

Tasters note that they have a characteristic nutty flavor, but this does not spoil the impression of the dish in the least.

Colored potatoes are used in dietary nutrition, since it contains not only a huge amount of vitamins and microelements, but also with a high level of starch content does not lead to obesity. This is achieved due to the metabolic activity of other substances.

Growing varieties

How to grow such a potato in your summer cottage

Landing is carried out in two ways: traditional (tubers) and seeds. For the second option, you must first germinate the seeds, then grow seedlings at home, and then transplant them into open ground. Seeds are planted in April, and seedlings are transplanted into open ground no earlier than in mid-May.

When planting tubers, the planting period is the same as for ordinary potatoes.

When choosing the timing of planting, the climatic and weather characteristics of the region are taken into account. You should definitely wait until the threat of night frosts has passed.

Soil preparation

They try to choose a light soil for planting purple potatoes. Oxygen should easily penetrate into it and excess moisture should not stagnate. An excellent option would be neutral sandy loam, as well as floodplain and sod-podzolic soils. Before the onset of the first frost, a rough primary digging of the selected area is carried out... During frosts, the larvae of pests that were in the turned-out ground will die.

With the onset of warmth, when the minimum soil temperature reaches 5 ° C, planting begins. A repeated digging of the soil is preliminarily done, holes are prepared with the addition of wood ash. The distance between the rows should be at least half a meter, and between the holes it is kept at the level of 30 centimeters... Planting depth reaches 10 centimeters.

Planting and leaving

If the soil in the selected area is dry, then watering must be carried out at least three times: immediately after germination, during flowering and immediately after. In the absence of rain, the plants should be watered at least once a week. If there is a lot of moisture, then fungal diseases will develop, and if there is a lack of moisture, plantings may dry out.

During planting, care should be taken to ensure that the plants have good access to air and light. To do this, you should not save space and plant bushes very close to each other, but observe the recommended distances.

After the emergence of purple potatoes it must be regularly weeded and weeded... When a crust appears on the soil, loosen it. The beds are regularly treated with drugs against the Colorado potato beetle, late blight and other common pests and diseases.

So far, purple potatoes are classified as delicacies. But thanks to the hard work of domestic breeders, it is quite possible that soon it will become available to any category of the population, as it benefits the human body. This would be great since useful properties of this product make you seriously think about the industrial scale of cultivation colored potatoes in our country.

In Colorado, at the State University, breeders set out to grow cultivated potatoes with a purple-blue pulp of tubers, crossing traditional varieties with a wild relative, whose homeland is South America, or rather, the highlands of the Andes. Scientists from Latin American countries have also cultivated cultivars, for example, Purple Peruvian was developed in Peru. Moreover, in obtaining a new potato, methods of genetic modification were not used - only classical selection.

This is how the purple potato first appeared on the American content, and only then it reached Europe and Asia.

In Russia, breeders of the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture also obtained tubers with different color intensities, ranging from pink to dark purple. The first successful experiments conducted by Russian scientists gave their results in 2011 in Tomsk, and the source material was obtained in 2007 from South Korea. At the exhibition of the First International Congress “Potatoes. Russia 2007 ”, held in Korenevo, South Korean unusual tubers were demonstrated.

Today, many varieties of purple-colored potatoes have already been bred, for example, French violet truffle, Negritanka, Chinese truffle, Vitelotte, Gourmet, Russian blue (aka Russian black), etc. They differ in the richness of the color of the pulp, but they have one thing in common - all these varieties much more useful than the usual we are used to.

Unfortunately, domestic seed material has not yet been created in sufficient volume for industrial cultivation, but you can already buy an unusual vegetable for your summer cottage in agricultural markets and in online stores.

What attracts purple potatoes?

Well, At first, varieties of purple-colored potatoes allow you to create new and interesting dishes, which is highly appreciated by lovers of exotic cuisine.

Secondly Despite the fact that boiled potatoes (and experts recommend boiling rather than frying these tubers to preserve their nutritional value) are blue, their taste does not differ at all from traditional white-cream varieties. Therefore, although the dish turns out to be original in appearance, its taste does not suffer from this.

But the most important thing, why purple potatoes are so interested in breeders - these are anthocyanin pigments, which give the pulp of the tubers this amazing color. Anthocyanins have tremendous healing potential, which has been used since ancient times in folk and now in traditional medicine. Sources of anthocyanins were blueberries, grapes, pomegranates, blackberries, black currants, mulberries, beets, peppers and other fruits that have a violet-blue, purple and red color.

Anthocyanins are glycosidic substances, the color of which is determined by the pH of the medium. In an acidic environment, they acquire red hues, in an alkaline environment, yellow-green, in a neutral environment, purple. Therefore, people who introduce purple potatoes into their diet should not be surprised if suddenly, when adding citric acid or vinegar, the vegetable changes its color. At the same time, heat treatment does not destroy these substances, so the tubers can be boiled, fried, stewed, and steamed.

Purple potatoes are indicated for people suffering from the following diseases:

• diabetic reticulopathy;
• hypertension;
• cardiovascular pathology (atherosclerosis);
• poisoning;
• reduced immunity;
• inflammatory diseases of bacterial and viral etiology.

Antioxidants of purple potatoes are able to slow down the aging process, destroy free radicals that cause cancer, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

In addition to antioxidants, these unusually colored tubers contain a large amount of vitamin C. According to some reports, its content is only half that of lemon, that is, two tubers can replace one fruit of this citrus fruit. However, unlike lemon, purple potatoes do not contain the essential oils that often cause allergies.

In addition, scientific research has proven that purple potatoes reduce blood pressure due to the increased content of chlorogenic acid, participates in the regulation of hormonal balance (affecting the production of estrogens - female sex hormones). Also, carotenoids (which include provitamin A) are found in the pulp of this vegetable. Most surprisingly, despite the high starch content, amethyst-colored potatoes do not increase the risk of obesity. The latter is explained by the high metabolic activity of other substances that make up blue-violet potatoes.

Soil preparation, planting and care

Proper care is a prerequisite for the correct development of tubers and high yields. The place for planting purple potatoes should be chosen in such a way that the planting is well lit, preferably in the southern or southwestern part of the plot.

The soil should be light enough to allow easy access of oxygen to the roots and not allow water to stagnate, but it should not be allowed that moisture does not linger at all. Thus, neutral sandy loams, sod-podzolic, light loamy and floodplain soils are best suited for growing this type of potato. For good rooting and proper development of tubers, you need to dig deeply into the place where the plants are planned to be planted.

It is better to carry out a rough initial digging before frost, when it is already cold enough.

Due to the fact that large clods of earth turned out with a shovel will be on the surface, the larvae of pests in them will die with the onset of cold weather.

If the clods are crushed, then it will be easier for insects to burrow into the depths and overwinter under a fluffed layer of soil, as under a blanket. Also, at the same time, it is advisable to apply fertilizers at the rate of 1 m2 - 30 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt. It is possible and even necessary to add humus (half a kilogram per 1 m2), which will provide the growing tubers with valuable trace elements.

In the spring, when the ground warms up by at least 5 ° C, it will be possible to land. At this time, a second digging is done, but already with the loosening of the soil, holes are dug, at the bottom of which wood ash is poured. The latter is not only a source of minerals, but also a good antiseptic that prevents the development of bacterial diseases. The holes should be at least 30 cm apart in the same row, and a 60 cm gap should be left between the rows. If the soil is heavy, then the soil that will cover the tubers must be mixed with sand. The depth of the holes is approximately 10 cm.

If you want to get the harvest earlier, then you can plant the already sprouted purple potato tubers. To do this, they are left in a lighted room at a temperature of about 14-18 ° C above zero, about three weeks before planting. After the potatoes are planted, it is better to cover them with a film, which is removed when the sprouts are already about 10-13 cm tall.

Arid soil is watered abundantly several times:

• after the plants have sprung up;
• after tying buds;
• after the flowers fall.

It is advisable to irrigate the plantings once a week, provided there is no rain. If a crust forms on the surface of the soil, then it must be loosened. Excessive soil moisture can lead to the occurrence of putrefactive diseases. At the same time, lack of moisture leads to dehydration and drying of purple potatoes.

Do not forget to weed the beds with plants and treat them with drugs for late blight, Colorado potato beetle and other pests and diseases.

By the way, our breeders have tried to develop varieties that are resistant to many types of potato diseases. Therefore, before buying, try to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of professionals, and then this valuable and tasty vegetable will give you all its healing potential.

Video review of purple potato varieties

Potatoes are rightfully one of the most versatile vegetables in the world. Hundreds of its varieties are known and cultivated, nevertheless, this vegetable continues to amaze gardeners. Purple potatoes, or blue French truffle for its full name, are considered a delicacy and also have many health benefits.

Origin and description of culture

There is no exact information about the origin of this species. Presumably, this is one of the varieties of potatoes that has long been common in the countries of South America. The result of long-term selection work and careful selection was the breeding of new fixed hybrids with the color of the pulp of tubers from lilac to dark purple.

The color of purple potatoes is influenced by the percentage of anthocyanins - colored plant glycosides. Elongated tubers are small in size and weight - no more than 10 cm and 70 g, respectively. Most varieties are late ripening, but there are both medium and super early ones. The higher this indicator, the denser the skin of the tubers and the better keeping quality.

Cooking does not change the color of dishes in the majority of varieties, but some may lose brightness and color purity after heat exposure.

The following descriptions and characteristics of the most famous and tested varieties that are popular all over the world will help gardeners who want to grow such a "blue miracle" on their plots to make a choice and make a choice:

• Vitelot (Vitelotte, also has the names Negritanka and French truffle) is a late variety with a dark purple skin. The ripening period is up to 110 days, it is stored for a long time without loss. Has a characteristic rich nutty flavor and does not change color when cooked. Tuber weight - 70-100 g;
• All blue (an exact translation of the original name All Blue) is medium early, has large tubers - up to 200 g in weight. A characteristic feature of the variety is a light strip between the pulp and skin. Due to its excellent taste and dietary properties, it is rapidly gaining popularity in our country;
• Explosion - got its name due to super-early fruiting (up to 65 days). The flesh and rind are even dark purple in color. A distinctive characteristic is high resistance to diseases. It is poorly stored, but good for quick use in any dishes, including raw in salads;
• Lilac is a mid-season variety of Russian selection. Despite the small mass of fruits (up to 80 g) and average yield, it has good keeping quality and resistance to diseases (cancer and scab). Having the taste of almonds, it is considered a valuable dietary product;
• Peruvian purple (Purple Peruvian) - bred in Peru. Late ripening variety with medium yield. As you can see in the picture, Peruvian potatoes are small in size, but their amazing taste - walnut and hazelnuts at the same time - attracts consumer interest.

Useful properties and application

Despite the same name, the purple "brother" of white potatoes has incomparably less harmful qualities and has many unique, healthy substances.

You cannot get better from this product if you do not eat it along with fatty and flour additives. The beneficial properties of purple potatoes are the basis of the fact that in many countries it is considered a particularly valuable, dietary product.

Nevertheless, an excessive enthusiasm for blue varieties can in some cases bring not only benefits, but also harm.

Benefits and contraindications

Colored varieties contain much more than ordinary ones, micro- and macroelements, which do not decrease even after prolonged heat treatment. This is the reason for the benefits of purple potatoes. In frozen and canned (pickled, salted) form, the vegetable retains its useful qualities. It is recommended in many children's diets.

The main medicinal properties of the product:

• lowers blood pressure, and so much that it is not recommended for hypotensive patients for constant use;
• Anthocyanins, which give the culture a recognizable color, are also powerful antioxidants. They stimulate metabolic processes at the cellular level, enhance immunity, neutralize the harmful effects of carcinogenic substances and radio emissions on the human body, help it suppress oncological neoplasms, improve vision and slow down the aging process;
• contains a large amount of vitamins, especially important for the human body, C and E, as well as carotenoids that affect the synthesis of vitamin A and regulate the endocrine system;
• The beneficial substances contained in blue varieties make the walls of blood vessels more elastic, which reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Practice shows that eating purple species can harm hypotonic patients and people with individual intolerance to the constituents of the product.

Cooking use

Purple potato varieties are suitable for any kind of consumption: they are boiled, stewed, fried, used in preparations with marinades, and some are eaten raw in salads.

This type of culture is starchy, and therefore, due to strong boiling, it is better suited for mashed potatoes. Naturally, it turns out to be a rich lilac or purple hue. The original, sweetish nutty taste makes the dishes delicious.

Some varieties, when boiled, lose their color intensity, acquiring, instead of purple, shades from lilac to blue.

Growing features

Planting purple potatoes is possible with tubers and seeds:

• with the traditional version (tubers), the sowing time is the same as for ordinary species;
• in the second case, seedlings are grown from the seeds of purple potatoes, which are planted in open ground after 1-1.5 months.

The soil is chosen light, and the site is light, sunny: purple potatoes need constant access of air and light. With timely traditional processing methods, it will thank you with a high and valuable harvest.

Purple-skinned potatoes have long been not a rarity among gardeners in our country. But varieties with purple or blue pulp have appeared relatively recently. Such a vegetable is classified as a gourmet one, and more and more gardeners are striving to breed it on their site. The varieties are characterized by a special nutty flavor, which makes them especially valuable in cooking. It is also important that the content of nutrients in it is higher than in an ordinary root crop.

The history of the appearance of purple potatoes

Purple-colored potatoes have been known for a long time. For the first time such a variety of Vitelot was mentioned in 1812. It is believed that its homeland is South America, namely Peru and Bolivia, where it is widespread today.

Due to its thick peel, this vegetable has good keeping quality and transportability, but the late ripening period and low yield did not allow it to be grown on an industrial scale. In addition, its cost turned out to be several times higher than ordinary potatoes.

Thanks to breeding work, many varieties of potatoes have appeared that have pulp colored in the following colors:

• blue;
• purple;
• red;
• orange;
• pink.

Dietary and healthy product

1. 1. The high content of vitamins C and E, the presence of carotenoids directly involved in the synthesis of vitamin A.
2. 2. Lowering blood pressure, which is very beneficial for hypertensive patients. But people with hypotension are not recommended to use it.
3. 3. A large amount of antioxidants in the pulp - substances that slow down the aging process.
4. 4. Improving metabolism, restoring the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, which reduces the risk of strokes and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
5. 5. Normalization of hormonal levels.
6. 6. Reducing the impact on the body of carcinogens and radiation.
7. 7. Improving vision.

Purple potatoes are less active at absorbing nitrates from the soil.

Planting and leaving

The agricultural technique of growing purple potatoes is no different from the usual care for potatoes, but it has a number of features. These plants have a rather low resistance to diseases, so scab or late blight is a common occurrence for them. If there is a Colorado potato beetle on the site, then it will appear on the root crop and will attack it first of all.

The rest of the events are similar. Planting is carried out by seeds (tubers). Purple potatoes grow best on light, fertile soils, loam is unacceptable for him. Weeding, hilling, watering and pest control are mandatory. A video about planting and caring for purple potatoes can be viewed below.

An important feature of purple potatoes is the need to plant only whole tubers. Attempting to plant with eyes will result in the crop being very shallow and gradually going wild.

Culinary value

Purple potatoes compare favorably with ordinary ones in their taste and unusual appearance. It has been used in cooking for a long time, especially in France, where it is called "French truffle". This was noted by Alexander Dumas, describing the Vitelot variety "undoubtedly the best of all potato varieties."

This root vegetable is great for any dish that uses regular potatoes. It can be fried, boiled, mashed with an unusual blue color, often chips or French fries. The unusual appearance makes these dishes in demand on the market. In the USA, South Korea, Canada, this vegetable can be easily found in stores, and some enterprises have already launched the production of blue chips on a large scale.

Varieties and their brief description

There are already quite a few varieties of purple-colored potatoes. Here are descriptions of just a few of them:

1. 1. Vitelotte. The very first to appear in Europe and a widespread variety. Ripening period is late, up to 110 days. Tubers 70–110 gr, elongated, evenly colored flesh. Keeping quality and transportability is high.
2. 2. Explosion. An early high-yielding variety with a ripening period of only 65 days. Tubers 100–150 gr, elongated, purple pulp, monochromatic. Keeping quality is weak.
3. 3. All blue (All Blue). Mid-season variety, ripens in 80–85 days. The tubers are large, up to 200 g, the color of the pulp is blue, uneven, in the center of the tuber and under the skin is white. Keeping quality is weak.
4. 4. Lilac. A variety of Russian selection, mid-season, ripening period of 90 days. Tubers are oval, medium in size, evenly purple colored inside. The yield is average, keeping quality is above average.
5. 5. Amethyst. Bred by breeders of Russia. A large-fruited early ripening variety with a ripening period of 65–75 days. Tubers up to 400 g, pulp of an even purple color. Suitable for long-term storage.
6. 6. Peruvian purple (Purple Peruvian). A late variety that ripens in 110 days. Tubers are medium, 80 g. It differs greatly in taste from ordinary potatoes by the obvious presence of the aftertaste of walnut and hazelnuts. Good storage and transportability.

In addition to the above, there are quite a few varieties of lilac or purple-skinned potatoes, such as the Black Prince. However, their flesh is not colored and has the usual color for potatoes - white, yellow or cream. It tastes the same as the one we know.