Few ingredients are as quietly decisive as the potato. Choose the right one and roast potatoes shatter at the edges, mash turns silken, and a potato salad holds its shape to the last spoonful. Choose the wrong one and even the finest cut of beef or fillet of fish arrives beside a side dish that slumps, sticks or simply disappoints.
The difference is rarely the recipe. It is the variety. Below, we walk through the seven potatoes we reach for most often, what sets each apart, and how best to use them. As with everything we stock, the principle is simple: begin with the right ingredient and let it do the work. It is the same thinking behind what clean food really means to us.
Floury, Waxy or All-Rounder: The One Thing to Know
Every potato sits somewhere on a spectrum between floury and waxy, and that position is set largely by its balance of starch and moisture.
- Floury potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. They cook up light and fluffy, break down readily and crisp beautifully. Think jacket potatoes, chips, roast potatoes and mash.
- Waxy potatoes are lower in starch, with firmer, moister flesh. They hold their shape when boiled, sliced or tossed, which makes them ideal for salads, gratins, stews and braises.
- All-rounders sit in between and are forgiving enough for most everyday cooking.
Match the potato to the method and half the cooking is already done.
The Varieties
Agria
Sourced from the Netherlands, our Agria Potatoes are the chef's choice for anything that should be golden outside and fluffy within. Deep yellow flesh, a dry, floury texture and a naturally rich flavour make them our first pick for roast potatoes and hand-cut chips. They also mash to a smooth, buttery finish with very little effort.
Best for: roasting, chips, mash, baking.
Russet
Grown in the United States, Russet Potatoes are the classic baking potato, recognisable by their rough, netted brown skin. High in starch and low in moisture, they bake to a light, steaming interior that welcomes butter, sour cream and chives. They also make exceptionally crisp fries and pillowy mash.
Best for: jacket potatoes, fries, mash, potato skins.
Red Skin
From the fertile lowlands of the Netherlands, our Red Skin Potatoes pair a smooth, rosy skin with creamy, moist flesh. On the waxy side, they boil cleanly for salads, hold together in stews and roast to a golden finish without collapsing. Leave the skins on: the colour is half the appeal on the plate.
Best for: potato salad, stews, traybakes, skin-on roasting.
White Skin
The dependable all-rounder. Our Australian White Potatoes have pale, smooth skin and a light texture once cooked, with a mild flavour and a quick cooking time. They mash, bake, fry and wedge with equal ease, which is precisely why they earn a permanent place in the pantry.
Best for: everyday mash, wedges, soups, weeknight cooking.
To compare several at once, our Western Mix Potatoes let you mix and match Russet, white skin and red skin varieties from the US and Europe, by the piece or as a selection of six.
Local Potatoes
The everyday potato of Singapore home kitchens, and the one many of us grew up with. Firm enough to hold through a long simmer yet soft enough to soak up a rich gravy, it is the potato for chicken curry, golden begedil and the Hainanese pork chop with its tomato gravy. Cut it into generous chunks so it softens without dissolving into the sauce.
Best for: curries, braises, begedil, stir-fried shredded potato.
Baby Potatoes
Harvested young, baby potatoes have thin, delicate skins that need no peeling and sweet, waxy flesh that stays intact however you treat it. Boil and toss in butter and herbs, crush and roast until crisp-edged, or tuck them around a roasting bird. They are the potatoes in our Ribeye Steak and Potato for Two, finished with butter, garlic, parsley and lemon zest.
Best for: boiling, crushed potatoes, salads, roasting whole.
La Ratte
The connoisseur's potato. Our La Ratte Potatoes are a French heirloom variety, small and fingerling in shape, prized by chefs for their buttery texture and nutty, almost hazelnut-like flavour. Their firm, waxy flesh holds its shape beautifully, so they need little more than good butter and sea salt. Steam or saute them, or roast them whole alongside fish.
Best for: steaming, sauteing, warm salads, serving simply with butter.
At a Glance
| Variety | Texture | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Agria | Floury | Roast potatoes, chips, mash |
| Russet | Floury | Jacket potatoes, fries, mash |
| Red Skin | Waxy | Salads, stews, skin-on roasting |
| White Skin | All-rounder | Mash, wedges, everyday cooking |
| Local | All-rounder | Curries, braises, begedil |
| Baby | Waxy | Boiling, crushed potatoes, salads |
| La Ratte | Waxy | Steaming, sauteing, warm salads |
How We Love It
Proper Roast Potatoes (Agria or Russet)
- Heat the oven to 220C and place a roasting tray with a generous layer of olive oil, duck fat or beef dripping inside to heat.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Start them in cold, well-salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just soft.
- Drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes, then shake in the colander to rough up the surfaces. Those ragged edges become the crunch.
- Tip carefully into the hot fat, turn to coat and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden. Finish with flaky sea salt and rosemary.
Serve alongside our Black Opal Wagyu Ribeye or a whole organic roast chicken.
Crushed Baby Potatoes with Herbs
Boil baby potatoes in salted water until tender, around 15 minutes. Drain, press each one gently with the base of a glass until it splits, drizzle with olive oil and roast at 220C for 25 to 30 minutes, until crisp at the edges. Toss with chopped parsley, dill and lemon zest. A natural partner to NZ King Salmon, or to a roast bird, much like the buttery vegetables in our Best Slow Roast Chicken.
Storing Potatoes in Singapore's Climate
Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot, out of plastic bags and away from onions, which can hasten sprouting. Avoid the fridge for most varieties: cold can turn some of the starch to sugar, so potatoes may taste sweeter and brown too quickly when fried. In our heat and humidity, they are best used within a week or two. Trim away any green patches or sprouts before cooking.
Explore our full range of potatoes and fresh produce in the Fresh Veggies collection, delivered with your weekly order.
Further Reading from The Fishwives
- Ribeye Steak and Potato for Two - an occasion dinner at home, with buttered baby potatoes beside a seared ribeye.
- The Best Slow Roast Chicken - potatoes cooked beneath the bird, soaking up every drop of the juices.
- Crumbed Salmon with Sweet Potato Chips - a crisp, family-friendly take on fish and chips.
- Your Guide to Cooking Beef - roasting times to plan your potatoes around the main event.
- What Clean Food Really Means (And Why It Matters) - our philosophy of sourcing, from salmon to the humble potato.
