Russet The workhorse of the genus, these thick-skinned tubers have a light, fluffy consistency that make them ideal for baking or mashing.
Purple These South American imports are now widely available. Microwaving them works best
to maintain their colour, which fades quickly when boiled.
Fingerling The belles of the ball, these gnarled spuds have made the jump to fine dining thanks to their unique, non-uniform look. Try roasting with olive oil, sea salt and rosemary.

RECIPE
Coco Ninaya
By Christina Mah, Raw Bar, Calgary
1.5 oz Dan-Dan potato shochu
5-6 chunks fresh, ripe papaya
Juice of half a lime
3/4 oz honey syrup or simple syrup
1/2 oz coconut milk
Papaya slices, for garnish
In a mixing glass, muddle papaya. Add shochu, honey syrup and lime juice. Shake
mixture vigorously over ice. Strain into a collins glass over fresh ice cubes. Layer coconut milk on top. Garnish with thin slices of papaya. Serves one.

Boursin and Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes
By chef Josh Anker, Long Beach Lodge, Tofino
150 g unsalted butter
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes
150 g Boursin cheese, herb and garlic flavour
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut butter into small cubes and chill. Peel potatoes and place in a large pot. Add cold water to cover, salt the water and bring to simmer. Simmer gently until potatoes are cooked through (about 20 minutes). Drain potatoes.
Place hot potatoes into bowl of a KitchenAid (or similar) mixer. With the paddle attachment, slowly mix the potato, adding butter one cube at a time. Once butter is incorporated, add the Boursin cheese. Mix potatoes well. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

GADGET
Kyocera Adjustable Ceramic Peeler, $32
Your trusty old potato peeler works just fine, but this one works better. It has zirconium-oxide ceramic blades, which is a fancy way of saying it is harder than everything on the planet except diamonds. That means it stays razor-sharp a long time.