Poulette Seed Potatoes

Solanum tuberosum

Poulette is a potato more than a decade in the making, inspired by legendary chef Michel Bras.

In 2013, Dan Barber hosted a seed summit at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, bringing together chefs and plant breeders from around the world to imagine the future of flavor. Second-generation breeder Dr. Walter de Jong and Chef Bras found themselves at the same table, quickly lost in potato talk. Bras spoke of the Institut de Beauvais, a rare French heirloom that had shaped his cooking.

After the summit, Walter set out to find it. He tracked down the Institut de Beauvais, crossed it with a classic New York potato and spent the next ten years chasing flavor. The result: a nutty, savory potato worthy of its culinary pedigree.

In the kitchen, Poulette has a creamy yet delicately floury texture, perfect for baking, frying or mashing. One bite delivers the deep, savory richness you'd expect from roast chicken (hence the name, “Poulette.”)

In the field, Poulette is as generous as it is flavorful. Its vigorous plants and strong canopy make it a resilient grower, delivering an abundant harvest.

This plant variety is protected by Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Application Number 202600603.

Our Poulette seed potatoes were produced in New York. Each Poulette purchase supports public plant breeding research at Cornell University. Certified organic by NOFA-NY.

Days to Harvest

• 110 Days

Appearance

• Light tan skin and white flesh. Shape is flattened and oblong; some tubers are lumpy and inconsistent in shape.
• Average Yieldplant /Tuber size: 5 oz per tuber on average

Spacing

• In-row Spacing: 9-12”
• Between Row Spacing: 36”

Planting

• Soil Requirements: Fertile, well-drained soils with an optimal pH of 6.0-6.8
• Plant potatoes 2-3" deep in mid- to late spring. Will tolerate cool soil and frost but best planted later for higher yields. 
• Cut tubers into 1.5-2 oz seed pieces with at least two "eyes" per piece. Allow the cut tubers to dry for a day or two before planting. 
• 6-12 days to emergence. 

Growing

• Hilling: Mound soil covering half of the plant to protect tubers from light exposure and increase yield. Repeat until hills are about 12" high.

Disease + Pest

• Pests: Colorado Potato Beetle. Use row covers, handpicking or organic insecticides such as spinosad to control for pests such as colorado potato beetles, aphids and leafhoppers.
• Diseases:  Susceptible to Potato Scab and Rhizoctonia. Resistant to PVY. Use best management practices such as crop rotation, sufficient watering and moisture management, and removal of crop debris post-harvest to prevent common potato diseases.

Harvest

• For optimal skin quality, dig tubers 2-3 weeks after foliage has died back. Dry slightly before curing and storing.

Storage

• Cure for 3-5 days at 60-65º and 90% humidity
• Store in a dark place at 40º and 90% humidity

In the kitchen, Poulette has a creamy yet delicately floury texture, perfect for baking, frying or mashing.