THE potato has been given a bit of a bad rap of late.

It's one of the evil carbs we're warned to avoid and the term 'couch potato' does little to improve this tuber's image.

But it still remains one of the world's largest food crops and is one of our 'staple' vegetables on the Cultivate VegVan.

Worldwide, there are about 5,000 potato varieties.

Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, which is where the potato originated from.

Working for Cultivate has broadened my potato horizons as we have so many varieties in stock throughout the year, each with their own qualities.

There are the low-starch potatoes, referred to as 'waxy' for their glossy skins. These are more moist and keep their shape during cooking, making them the best choice for boiling and turning into salads.

Then we have the medium-starch or all-rounder potatoes which include potatoes such as the Nicola variety.

These are ideal for steaming, they go well in stews, roast and gratin dishes.

Finally we have the high-starch variety also called 'floury' potatoes. These generally have coarse skin and a dry texture (due to lower levels of moisture). Boiled, they tend to fall apart, but they are unbeatable for baking, making chips and light, fluffy mash. We’ve currently got some organic King Edward varieties that are a great example of this sort of potato and have made me some exceptional jacket potato dinners.

Although potatoes don’t count towards your five a day because they are mainly starch, eaten in moderation they are a fantastic fuel.

I recently discovered that the Irish labourers used to par boil their spuds and leave the core undercooked. The partially cooked potato would sit in the stomach creating a second digestion and helping stave of hunger for longer periods enabling them to work longer.

I’m not quite sure I’m ready to try this method but I’ll definitely be turning to a hearty potato dish to prep me for a long day on the market stall.

In fact with St Patricks day coming up I may even try a delicious colcannon with some of our locally-grown kale.