“Perschflower” for the soul, “Breeze” for fries: what potatoes Belarusians buy at fairs

On the autumn weekend, Gomel becomes one big fairground. Now on Saturday, October 24, agricultural kirmash turned around at the Ice Palace - here grown in the fields and gardens were delivered from different districts of the region, and in the neighborhoods of the regional center, where the shopping arcades were occupied by suburban farms and farmers. Prices are more pleasant than in supermarkets, the choice is without comment. You can bargain. The correspondent of sb.by went to the big regional fair for the strategic product of each Belarusian - bulba. How about no sack for the winter?

Barely the working time of the kirmash started, and the final bag of potatoes was pulled from the platform of the Penchin experimental base of the Buda-Koshelevsky district literally in front of my nose. Sellers are shuffling. Who knew there was going to be demand? Only the price tag on the potatoes hung, even the calculation did not have time to do. I'll clarify, there must have been something outlandish selling, with a trendy purple pulp. Vitaly Abramenko, an employee of the company, dismisses such questions:

- It's not exotic. Our tried-and-tested Perchflower. Nice grade. And top-level yields. And the potatoes are good. With a knife, it doesn't slip. It's not falling apart. There's no extra water in it. This variety is equally good for borscht and casserole.

The happy owner of the last three Penchin bags - Victor in a motorcycle helmet - smiles wide as he loads his scooter:

- A little sooner. I already packed it. I can't share it. Honestly, I'd take more. At this price: 50 cents per kilogram! You know, it's only possible at the fair. And I like the potatoes in this farm. Not my first season.

While talking, sensitive grandmothers tell you where to get. Through a couple of cars - JSC "Experimental base "Dovsk" Rogachevsky district. Here's the "Pershatsvet" is such that you will stun, and says pensioner Natalia Ivanovna:

- It's an experimental base. They're all about science. Dry potatoes, tubers one in one, perfectly stored. Dranks turn out gentle, unwatery. And what a good price - 60 cents per kilogram.

A gift that herself with a full cart, but undertakes to escort me to the address, apparently, so that other outlets do not poach. Sellers of Dova farm immediately recognize the elderly Gomel woman. Clearly a regular customer. Vasily Domoradov, an ex-base worker, gladly advertises to me that the hectares have degenerated:

- Our “Perchflower” is for the soul, for all occasions. And in "olivier," and in soup, and in pulp. But the "Breeze" would still recommend for danks, great for fries, chips ... In fact, many varieties are grown in our farm: "Umka", "Orbit", "Belarusian-3", "Phoenix". By the way, for the sake of understanding, more than 180 varieties are registered in Belarus, of which more than 50 are bred by Belarusian breeders. But we brought the most popular ones to this regional agricultural fair. Usually in Gomel, they always ask for "Perschflower" and "Breeze", they are guaranteed to sell.

The 82-year-old buyer Vasily Kravtsov joins our cognitive dialogue, as well as, it turns out, one of Dovsk's potato fans. In his great century, he tried a different "Pershawflower", stopped at this option:

- Here is this Dova bulba can be eaten without everything, even without fat. In itself - a work of gastronomic art.

From the truck of the agricultural enterprise "Brilev" Gomel district, which is a few meters from the Dova location, also released "Pershatsvet". The buyer Oleg Nikolaevich, carefully considering the bag, offers me not to go through, but to take, otherwise I will remain without a bull:

- It's beautiful, I'm telling you. Is that what you usually cook? Cook and fry? That's right. It doesn't decay. Keeps in shape. The flesh is tender, juicy. For me, with such a light natural sweetness. Girl, I take this bag of potatoes, calculate me.

Of course, they are not looking for good. But I still want to expand my horizons. There are young people selling potatoes nearby. I wonder what they got. It turns out that Karina and Sergey help their parents – farmers from Dobrush district. Going to the fairs. The volumes are small, but the approach is thorough. Bulba is offered at 1 ruble per kilo. The products look presentable. And again -- "Pepperflower." Seeing my obvious disappointment, they do not give up:

- Yes, this is the most popular variety. And there's an explanation. Strong on the outside, yellow on the inside. Sometimes you cut a potato and it has wormholes. Pearl doesn't have that. It's boiling properly. Mama's making a big potato out of him, you'll pump. And the day thinly sliced this potato, a little meat, cheese on top - and into the oven. It just melts in your mouth.

No, well, it becomes unbearable to work with stories like that. I don't want to buy a bag right away, but this is a baked dish. You have to make a fist. And storm the automobile boards of the agricultural enterprise "Greenhouse" of the Gomel district, where they offer a neat "Lili" for 65 kopecks of a kilo. What kind of person in the Bulba world, people in line don't know. But the sellers give the full layout:

- It's perfectly stored until spring. Cleans easy. It boils moderately. For example, cooked potatoes yesterday, in the morning it will be the same, will not darken. At least for the first course, at least for the second. Perfect for frying, baking. Take it, try it, come back again, you will see.

Questions dropped. People are responding. Ready to take. Against the background of the fast-paced queue, whole gastronomic discussions are unfolding. I learn that on occasion, you should definitely try the varieties "Ruby" and "Riviera" - this is advice from the nursery Natalia, who only cooks and bakes, enjoying such a natural source of potassium, fiber and vitamin C. The recipe for potato pancakes - Tarkovans from Hope, which helps to make supplies for the winter little grandson Gorday:

- It's like tans, just the whole pan. Rub potatoes on a small grater, squeeze the juice, add salt, pepper, eggs, sour cream so that the dough does not darken, you can still have an apple and raisins. Grandson likes that.

And I heard a completely breakthrough life hack, which could make a revolution in potatoes, from the young spouses Nicholas and Olga, who stood in front of me behind the Medusa bow. It was said that last spring at the craft fair in Gomel bought a clay piggy bank, which can accommodate 38 two-ruble. When today in May they planted potatoes from their parents, buried a piggy bank with money in the garden, and in the autumn all the relatives came without talking – to dig. My 15-year-old nephew was lucky. And potatoes, as it should, in the cellar, to the delight of parents. By the way, it's "Pepperflower." Onions "Medusa", carrots "Olympo": appreciated the gifts of fields and gardens on a large kirmash in Gomel