White Quarantina Potato
Production Area: All the inland of Genova up to the bordering Apennines in the area of Savona and La Spezia.
Curiosities: In Genovesato, the knowledge on the potato and its cultivation is deeply linked to the name of Michele Dondero, parson of Roccatagliata (GE), who in the 18th century, among the suspicion of his believers, introduced it to stem the poverty of the people. When its importance was recognized and its quality and versatility appreciated, the potato became widespread in all the inland and represented, together with chestnuts, the main dish for the people of the countryside during famine and poverty periods. Quarantina potato, in the territory of Montagna genovese, is considered the best and most ancient local potato variety. As a matter of fact, it was already known at the end of the 18th century.
Features: White Quarantina potato of Montagna Genovese has several names if we move from one valley to the other. It is the local potato variety par excellence (Solanum tuberosum). Round or round-oval tuber, smooth and yellow peel, white flesh, blue-violet bud.
"B" cooking quality (for all uses), with scarce flesh consistency and wet but not floury aspect, thin-grained. Characteristic but not very marked potato taste, with no aftertaste, delicate. In the territory of Montagna genovese, it is considered the best and most ancient local potato variety. The product hardly satisfies the marked, which is already limited and local.
Brief cultivation information: Semi-early variety, it is rather good to preserve. It has an average yield which is limited on heavy soils and in the wet areas.
