Jersey Royals

I bought some the other day and found it was not just the taste that was disappointing but the texture as well. Just not the same as they once were

Oh this makes me want to grow my own though I’m obviously too late for this year.
Someone mentioned tomatoes. I’ve been advised to keep them out of the fridge otherwise the skins get tough.

I have been buying Jersey Gold potatoes from my local Co-op. They have a lovely flavour, especially when eaten cold. I prefer them to the Royals, which have disappointed me.

We’ve had plenty of surprisingly good Jerseys this year - greatly enjoyed by my sister who was over from the US. She smuggled a bag of JRs back with her! After 40 odd years across the pond she still insists that what we call ‘new’ potatoes are not available there - ‘baby’ potatoes yes, but not actual ‘new’. She’s very fussy with food and only buys organic, or from their equivalent of Waitrose IYKWIM, so she may be right.

Last time I had Jersey Royals was in St Helier on holiday. I was so disappointed.

I've had some good ones from Waitrose this year, sold loose and with earth clinging on.
I think that last year, they were all terrible. I know I bought from several places and they were just universally awful. Maybe something to do with weather conditions in spring 2023?

Jersey Royal used to be hand picked and straight off to market same day, now they’re machine harvested, washed, pre packed sent to supermarket distribution depot and are probably 4 days old before they reach the store.

Today we had the first home grown new potatoes, with home grown asparagus and salmon, strawberries for afters.

petra

They are no longer fertilised with seaweed. For years the farmers have been using bog standard fertilisers.

petra yes, you are right. I read a few years ago that the secret of the flavour of Jersey Royals is seaweed. The article I read said Jersey Royals are no longer grown in seaweed. So I guess we're never going to enjoy them in the way we did as children and young married women.

Most are pre washed sold in packs at the supermarkets. Not like you used to be able to buy them out of a hessian sack, covered in earth.

But I never peel new potatoes either, I scrub them.

I never scrape or peel most veg as they’re more nutritious with skin on - I simply soak them in cold water to get any mud off then steam til tender and scoff 😋

The longer they are out of the ground the harder they are to scrape. If they are really fresh you can rub the skin off.

bookwormbabe

I have been disappointed with Jersey Royals for some time and I now no longer buy them. Something has definitely changed, they used to be magnificent, and you used to be able to scrape the skins off really easily, which no longer seems to be the case.

bookwormbabe ... I agree with you, something has definitely changed. As you said you used to be able to scrape the skins off them, not anymore

I have been disappointed with Jersey Royals for some time and I now no longer buy them. Something has definitely changed, they used to be magnificent, and you used to be able to scrape the skins off really easily, which no longer seems to be the case.

Bury Market 🙈

Aldom

Yes, Welshy I know exactly what you mean about the Jersey Royals burning the back of the throat. It's very unpleasant. The JR potatoes are not the delicious, melt in the mouth potatoes of yesteryear, sadly.

I'm glad I'm not the only one Aldom.

I also agree with you they tasted wonderful even without the mint & butter.

I think new potatoes are perhaps the one thing that never tastes as good as when they're straight from the soil into the pot. Maybe tomatoes straight from the vine too.Not an expert on Jersy Royals as we always have Pembrokeshire earlies, but they never taste the same when I get them from the shops / markets as home -grown..

They are no longer fertilised with seaweed. For years the farmers have been using bog standard fertilisers.

The best Jersey Royals I've ever tasted were eaten years ago when on holiday on Jersey in June. Those and the fresh Jersey tomatoes were food of the gods

Yes, Welshy I know exactly what you mean about the Jersey Royals burning the back of the throat. It's very unpleasant. The JR potatoes are not the delicious, melt in the mouth potatoes of yesteryear, sadly.

midgey

Have you remembered the mint and the butter? Without those two they can be very dull!

When I was a young woman the Jersey Royals tasted wonderful, even without the mint and butter.
It's years since I have tasted potatoes as good as those ones.

Yes.. Said to DH recently how they don't taste like they did a few years ago. The ones I have bought are in a bag they also appear to be pre washed, we wondered if this was killing the taste? I haven't found any loose ones to buy, to compare.

It is disappointing Rosie51. I always looked forward to May every year when they came out here.

Jersey Royals were always a treat on my husbands birthday when they had that distinctive taste. Dont think that they have it any longer and they used to use seaweed as part of the growing previously. I tend to wait until the Lincolnshire potatoes come in now and they have a good taste

I've had some Jersey Royals this year, hoped they'd be better than the last few years, sadly not. No I didn't experience your burning throat Welshy just disappointment that while they were nice they were no more flavoursome than my usual Maris Peer, despite being twice the price. These last were M&S, but Sainsbury's 'Taste the Difference' were just the same. I don't think I'm going to bother with any more, I'll spend the money on more British asparagus while it's still in season.

I know this is an old thread. But it's that time of year again.

I feel the same I have not had a good Royal Jersey for a few years now.

I was eating some earlier that I bought at the supermarket and they were burning the back of my throat.

Has anyone else experienced this?