Peter Piper Picked a Potato...

....I know, I know he picked a pepper. But this post is about potatoes, not peppers, so there!

When I was a kid one of my favorite things about holiday meals was my grandmother's potato wedges. They were golden and crispy on the outside, and perfect on the inside. I've never been able to duplicate those potatoes, and sadly Grandma isn't around to tell me her secrets, but recently I found out that I was using the wrong potato!

With football season in full swing, and potato skins on coffee tables everywhere, Thanksgiving with mashed potatoes right around the corner, and Christmas dinner only 11 weeks away, let's get this potato thing straight so we all have perfect appetizers and side dishes.

Russet Potatoes should be your choice if you're making baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, or potato skins. There high in starch and fluffy on the inside, perfect for scooping and mashing. These are the kind I used to make Grandma's potato wedges, which is why they didn't turn out.

Red skin potatoes are the kind I SHOULD have used. They are waxy, hold their shape well, and are low in starch. Perfect for roasting. It's super easy too. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Cut your large red-skin potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (Or adobo seasoning if you happen to be making them for me!) Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray and place potatoes sliced side down. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip and roast for another 15.

Yukon Golds are actually pretty good all-purpose potatoes. They bake and roast well, have a medium starch content, and are creamy. If you are inclined to make your own gnocchi, use Yukon Golds! Personally, I've only made gnocchi once in my life, and it was a time-consuming failure. I didn't use Yukon Golds! If I ever muster up the nerve to make my own gnocchi again, I'll use them. Until then it's packaged for me!

Wishing everyone a happy, potato filled holiday season! If you have a favorite potato dish, drop me a line and tell me about it!

If you are looking for the perfect wine to pair with your holiday dishes, visit me over at Wine Decadence