VARIETIES 



73 



IM. 



when cooked. Mealiness is due to the union of the 

 starch grains in a cell into one mass, and the rup- 

 ture of the cell 

 walls during cook- 

 ing. Sogginess 

 occurs when the 

 cell walls retain 

 their form. Opin- 

 ions differ as to 

 what constitutes 

 good cooking 

 quality. Amer- 

 icans like a white, 

 mealy, or floury, 

 potato. The 

 French prefer a 

 yellow, soggy 

 potato which re- 

 tains its shape 

 when boiled. 



Good cooking 

 quality can be de- 

 termined by cook- 

 ing. The common 



FIG. 19 SECTION OF A POTATO OF 

 GOOD COOKING QUALITY 



(Compare with Fig. 18.) 



The desirable features of this tuber are well- 

 netted skin, showing maturity; large Internal 

 Cortical (/.C)and External Medullary (EM.) 

 layers, which are rich in starch ; small pith 

 area (I.M.), with marked uniformity in cellu- 

 lar structure. The different layers nearly ap- 

 proach each other in appearance, and cook 

 uniformly. 



method is to take 



a sample and steam or boil some of the potatoes. 

 When cooked the potato should be dry and floury, free 

 from wetness, and readily break to pieces on slight 

 pressure, or be readily reduced to a coarse meal free 

 from hard lumps. The particles should glisten as 

 though crystalline, and the potato should have a white 

 color, which is retained when cold. Potatoes which 



