Samplers ring in on debut potato variety

Impact of A95109-1 for growers still to be determined, some say

MOSES LAKE — It doesn't have a name yet, but people were talking about the A95109-1. When their mouths weren't full.

Lines of people waited Wednesday afternoon in the Washington State Potato Conference trade show at lunchtime for their first taste of the new, unnamed Russet potato variety, which made its debut for sampling during the potato bar.

Several of the people who walked through the line and piled on works like cheese, bacon and green onions rang in with their thoughts on the new variety.

Warden residents Fred Lindsay and Joe Kurkowski were equally succinct in their summaries.

"It tastes good," Lindsay said.

"Really good," Kurkowski added.

Polson, Mont., resident Dan Lake found it more mealy than the Norkotah variety, which he liked about the new variety.

Moses Lake resident Wendy Shiflett, dining with Terri Wortham, called it fresh and crisp. Wortham agreed it tasted good.

"The flavor," Moses Lake resident Guy Bonar said he liked of the new variety. Bonar said he didn't see much difference from other potatoes, but urged others to try it. "They do a good job of cooking them."

"I liked the way they bake," Guy's wife Mae Bonar said. "It just seems like it bakes up real nice. The flavor, when you get right down to the potato, the taste of the potato is wonderful."

"They've got a little better flavor, good quality," Moses Lake resident Rudy Steffler said. "It's a little hard to tell because I've got so much junk on it, but I did take a little bit of a bite before I put all of the stuff on it, and they're good. I think it's going to be successful, once they figure out yield-wise how they will work out for us farmers, but I think they're a plus."

Connell area resident Orman Johnson said he didn't think consumers would be able to tell the difference. For growers, "it looks good on their trials. They just need to get it out in the fields to try it."