Out of my selection of potatoes for this year (which you will find out about if you keep reading this post!), there is only one variety that a 1940s Cullen gardener would recognize. In fact, they wouldn't just recognize it, they likely would have grown it exclusively, as it is a piece of local Scottish history: Kerr's Pink.
The local and historical connection
Kerr's Pink was bred by a man named J. Henry in 1907 in a village called Cornhill. Cornhill is in Banffshire, just a few miles down the road from Cullen! It was officially introduced to the market in 1917 by a man named Mr. Kerr.
By the time the 1940s and the Second World War rolled around, Kerr's Pink had become the absolute backbone of Scottish potato farming. It thrives in the cool, damp Scottish climate and produces a heavy, reliable crop. The people of Cullen would have relied on this exact floury, pink-skinned tuber to bulk out their meals and make their traditional Cullen Skink during rationing.
Today, Kerr's Pink is still the absolute king of mash. Because it is so dry, it absorbs butter and cream like a sponge, creating the silkiest mashed potatoes imaginable. Because they are so floury, they will disintegrate if you boil them too vigorously. Simmer them gently!
The modern marvels
The other six varieties on our list are more modern agricultural achievements.
Challenger: Bred by the major Dutch potato breeding company HZPC, this variety was introduced in 2008 specifically to cater to the demand for a high-yielding, top-tier roasting and French fry potato. If you want to make homemade British chips, this is the one to reach for.
Daisy: A late 20th-century (1998) maincrop bred for reliable yields and good storage. Thanks to its robust texture, Daisy is fantastic for slicing into a Dauphinoise, boiling for a hearty winter mash, or baking.
Invictus: This is the absolute newest kid on the block! Developed by HZPC, Invictus is a very recent introduction to the commercial market, celebrated by growers in the last few years for its incredible resistance to late blight and its ability to grow well with fewer fertilizers. It is great for boiling, but where Invictus really shines in the summer is cut into thick wedges, tossed in olive oil and garden herbs, and roasted or thrown on the BBQ.
Jazzy: Created by the Dutch breeder C. Meijer BV, Jazzy was officially registered in 2010. It then made a huge splash when it was heavily launched in UK supermarkets around 2012/2014 as the ultimate quick-cooking, no-peel salad potato. They hold their shape perfectly when boiled or steamed, and are incredible simply crushed lightly with a fork, drenched in butter, and sprinkled with dill straight from the garden.
Karelia: Introduced over the last decade (2010s), Karelia is a highly sustainable variety boasting an immense, natural resistance to modern soil pests like Potato Cyst Nematodes. In the kitchen, it is a fantastic general-use summer potato. Because it holds its shape well, it is brilliant sliced into gratins, pan-fried, or dropped whole into summer stews and curries.
Rooster: While it looks a bit like a Kerr's Pink and has a traditional floury texture, it was actually bred in Ireland and wasn't commercially released until 1991, where it quickly became the nation's most popular potato. It is the ultimate all-rounder. If you want a crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside roast potato, Rooster is your go-to. It also makes phenomenal mash, great chips, and the perfect fluffy baked jacket potato.
The best of both worlds
So there you have it, the official No Cert Just Dirt potato lineup for this season! By planting this specific mix, we get to experience the absolute best of both worlds. We are keeping the local, 1940s heritage of Cullen alive with our Kerr’s Pink, while also taking full advantage of the incredible, sustainable science behind modern marvels like Invictus and Karelia. Plus, living right on the coast means I can even use foraged seaweed as a natural fertilizer, exactly like the local residents would have done back in the day! With spring officially here and my seed potatoes currently chitting away indoors, those South beds are about to get very busy.
Content has been drafted by AI and reviewed by a human being. E&OE