HERITAGE POTATOES BRING BACK HAPPY MEMORIES (Jan 2005)

Northumbria Larder members, Lucy and Anthony Carroll, who farm at Tiptoe, near Cornhill on
Tweed are becoming well known on both sides of the Border as a result of their decision to brand and re-launch their heritage potatoes.

Their latest media outing was on BBC TV Scotland's Landward programme which showed the couple selling their produce at a farmers' market in Glasgow. As a result of the broadcast, says Anthony, they received many new enquiries for information about their potatoes from individuals and wholesalers in Scotland.

For Lucy and Anthony, the TV appearance is yet more evidence of the growing interest in thier potatoes they grow at Tiptoe, near Duddo, on the River Till. Following re-branding, the potatoes are now sold as " Lucy and Anthony Carroll's Heritage Potatoes, potatoes as they used to be", The couple started growing gourmet varieties four years ago. including Highland Burgundy Red, Arran Victory and Dunbar River. Only a small parcel of land was devoted to the crop in the beginning, but such has been the demand for the older varieties that this year's will be the biggest yet. These potatoes were extremely fashionable at the turn of the last century, .. says Anthony. They offered special flavour and taste and interesting colours and shapes before they were replaced by the more common white-fleshed potatoes which were more resistant to disease and had a greater yield. · Growing heritage potatoes is very labour intensive and involves many hours of careful gathering, selection and gracing. As a result, the potatoes are more expensive than the mass-produced varieties but price has not proved a big barrier.

Carroll's Heritage Potatoes are now sold throughout the country and are served up in some of the finest restaurants. Lucy and Anthony are also featured in top chef Terry Laybourne's book, Quest for Taste. He also serves up their heritage potatoes in his North East restaurants. There is a mail order service run by the Carrolls, details of which can be obtained from their website: www.heritage-potatoes.co.uk