Potatoes 'Sineglazka' / 'Blue Eye'

(1940) Breeder: S. Denim (Institute of Starch Products)
Blue-Eye potatoes generally produce medium to large tubers with an oval to elongated shape. The skin is light brown, slightly flaky with characteristic purple-blue spots, mostly at the ends, to which this variety owes its name. The flesh is ivory to golden in colour and dense, firm, and fine-textured. When cooked, Blue-Eye potatoes have a soft consistency and a much-loved, mild, and earthy taste.
This variety is no longer commercially grown due to its relatively short shelf life, so eat them up within a few months! Furthermore, Blue-Eye is very versatile and therefore valuable to preserve on a small scale for the future. The tubers are firm enough for salads and floury enough for delicious fries, a smooth mash, or boiled and fried on your plate!

A little history:
In Russia, Blue-Eye potatoes were specifically intended for home garden cultivation and were preferred for their unusual blue-purple eyes, their ability to withstand cold climates, their productive nature, and their resistance to many diseases. In the city of Smolensk, the variety was even distributed free of charge to encourage residents to grow the tubers. Thanks to the ease of cultivation of the variety, its popularity quickly spread throughout Russia, becoming one of the most widely used cultivars in daily cuisine. Potatoes such as Blue-Eye are also used in traditional holiday recipes like Olivier or Russian salads. This potato salad, often consumed on New Year's Eve in Russia, is made from a mixture of cooked meat, eggs, potatoes, carrots, pickles, and peas. While many variations of the recipe exist among home cooks and restaurants, the original salad recipe dates back to the 19th century.
Today, Blue-Eye potatoes can be found at farmers' markets in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The potatoes in the photo were discovered at the Green Market in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

MID-EARLY VARIETY FOR GOURMETS.
A mid-early variety means it can be harvested from August. Harvesting can be brought forward by a few weeks by planting earlier. Planting time is from mid-April, when the soil has sufficient warmth. Pre-sprouting in light or in a large pot can be done earlier. Do not place them in too wet a spot, but ensure they get plenty of sun. Mid-early varieties can suffer from the dreaded potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). Some preventive measures include: spacious planting, fertilizing with patentkali, not spraying water over the plant, and possibly organic spraying with sulphur or silinal. The average planting distance is 70x40 cm; we recommend maintaining 80x40 cm to prevent diseases.

Names:
Latin: Solanum tuberosum
Dutch: Aardappel 'Sineglazka'
Also known as: Blue-Eye-aardappel
English: Potato 'Blue Eye'