Kroon, Frieslander potatoes from Ursem

Who stands behind it

Kroon grows potatoes in Ursem, a village in the West Frisian polder north of Alkmaar. It is old sea clay soil, reclaimed from the former Zuiderzee, and that soil is distinctly suited for early potatoes. The variety that Kroon grows for us is the Frieslander, a name you find on many North Dutch fields.

Important to know: Frieslander is a potato variety, not a regional designation. It was originally bred in the Bildt in Friesland and came to market in the late nineteen-eighties. It is a very early dual-purpose variety, which means it was bred for two uses at once: cooking and fries. Kroon harvests it as a new potato, so from early summer the fresh harvest arrives. With an early variety, the growing season is short and every week counts, so during harvest there is strict selection of what goes through and what doesn't.

What truly sets it apart

Two things make this potato usable in a kitchen that runs on consistent quality.

The first is the cooking type. The Frieslander is fairly firm-boiling and sits in terms of structure right between firm and floury. It stays whole after cooking, colors light yellow without discoloring, and works just as well baked, roasted, and fried. That gives you one potato for multiple preparations on the menu instead of two types of purchases. The flesh is yellow, the shape oval and regular, and it is little prone to bruising.

The second is the way you get it. We deliver the Frieslander unwashed, as it comes from the land, with soil still on. Washing damages the skin and sets decay in motion. Unwashed, the potato keeps longer and you preserve flavor and structure until the moment you use it. You do the last bit of work yourself, and that pays off in storage time and in a potato that is less watery than a washed factory potato.

How to set yourself apart with this

Put the origin on the menu. A potato with a name and a village, Frieslander from Kroon from Ursem, tells your guest that you know where your product comes from. That works stronger with a regional potato than with an anonymous bag.

Use the dual-purpose character in your setup. Use the same potato as a cooked accompaniment at the main course and as homemade fries at the snack or lunch. One purchase line, two spots on the menu.

And play the skin along. Because you get the potatoes unwashed and with thin skin, you can brush them clean instead of peeling. That saves waste, keeps the full flavor, and fits a kitchen that handles product well.