3 Comments
User's avatar
Michael Hocken's avatar

An appetising read! Thank you. I was struck by the description of your “favoured match,” namely “[l]amb cutlets, British Queens, peas.” Although British myself, and a bit of a foodie, I’d never come across this term as a description of what I took to be a type of potato before. An extended Google search suggests that British Queens might be a variety of seed potato, and I shall go looking for some to try (unless you set me right and tell me they’re something else entirely!

Expand full comment
Tom Doorley's avatar

Hello, Michael. Yes indeed, British Queen is a second early potato introduced in - I think - 1898 and named for Victoria who, of course, had been the only British Queen in a very long time. They are a very fine potato and enormously popular in Ireland where they are extensively grown in Wexford (the most south-easterly county - next stop Pembrokeshire). I strongly recommend growing them. Traditionally they are planted on St Patrick's Day, 17 March and should be ready by late June/early July. One of the reasons for this variety's enormous popularity here must be its flouriness; the Irish taste in spuds favours the flowery. Anyway, good luck in securing a supply!

Expand full comment
Michael Hocken's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment