A cake with mashed potato!?! Believe it! We shared this little beauty at the NZ Guild of Food Writers May Market Day.
This cake is moist and moreish with a slight crunch from the sugar crust. And if you weren’t told you would never guess it’s loaded with spuds!

The perfect way to use up leftover MASHED POTATOES and the addition of ground almonds mean it is also GLUTEN FREE.

The NZ Food Writers loved it so much we are sharing the recipe and we reckon you’ll love it too…

Lemon Drizzle Mash Cake

200g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

175g ground almonds

250g mashed potatoes

zest 3 lemons

2 tsp baking powder 

For the drizzle

4 tbsp white sugar

juice 1 lemon

Heat oven to 180 degrees C.

Butter and line a deep, 20cm round cake tin.

Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, then gradually add the egg, beating after each addition.

Fold in the almonds, cold mashed potato, lemon zest and baking powder.

Tip into the tin, level the top, then bake for 35-40 mins or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Mix the sugar and the lemon juice together, then spoon over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Matamata operators who attended industry training have reduced average fat per gram of hot chips from 9.6 per cent to a staggering 7.8 per cent, well below the national average of 10.8 per cent.

Following a successful initiative from industry organisation The Chip Group, customers in the small Waikato town can be confident many local chip retailers are now serving tastier lower fat chips.

“As a result of the training 1711kg of fat will be removed from the Matamata food supply per year,” said Glenda GourlgGourley, Chair of The Chip Group. “This equates to about 3 trailer-loads of fat!”

The training hosted by The Chip Group in February educated staff from 10 take-away shops on cooking deep-fried chips to best practice industry standards – reducing fat and salt content to ensure the crispiest, most delicious results.

“We chose Matamata to participate in this initiative because it has a large number of chip shops in a relatively small area, which are frequented by locals and many tourists throughout the year,” said Glenda.

Local operator Sky Peng got a lot out of the training. “I didn’t realise simple things like cooking at the right temperature and draining properly could have such a big impact on my chips,” he said.

“By following industry standards I have been able to lower our fat content alot – and this makes a big difference to my customers.”

Samples were collected by mystery chip shoppers prior to each retailer being invited to complete the training, and again after they had completed the training to compile the data.

“As a nation we love hot chips – and Matamata has shown that almost every hot chip retailer can improve the standard and quality of their chips if they are trained and follow best practice industry standards,” said Glenda. “The training is available free and online.”

The initiative preceded the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition, which invites chip retailers to enter their hot chips in a national competition to be crowned New Zealand’s 2013 Best Chip Shop.

Entries for the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition are now open and available online at www.chipgroup.co.nz/best-chip.

This year the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition acknowledges all operators who are achieving fat content lower than 9 per cent. They will earn a Highly Commended Award to display instore, making it easier for consumers to pick good outlets.

For more information about the Chip Group, best practice standards training and the 2013 Best Chip Competition, please visit www.thechipgroup.co.nz.

ENDS

Who is the Chip Group?

The Chip Group is an industry collaboration made up of Potatoes New Zealand, chip and oil manufacturers and equipment suppliers. Our activities are supported by health and government members such as the Heart Foundation and The Ministry of Health.

Our overriding goal is to improve the nutritional status of deep-fried chips served by New Zealand foodservice by reducing fat (total and saturated) and salt content.

More information can be found at www.thechipgroup.co.nz.

Media release

12 April 2013

The Chip Group Ltd

For more information/media enquiries, please contact:

Dan Walraven

Ideas Shop

04 499 8995

You don’t have to be Irish to LOVE POTATOES, and you certainly don’t need to be Irish to celebrate St. Patricks Day!

The enduring and loyal relationship between Ireland and Potatoes has existed since they were first introduced in 1590. The 17th March is a day to reflect on how over three million Irish peasants depended on potatoes to feed them during the 1800s.

Potatoes thrived in the Ireland’s cool, moist soil and they discovered it was possible to be solely sustained on the vegetable that is rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin c, potassium and other important nutrients. It is interesting to note that Irish peasants were actually healthier than peasants in England or Europe where bread, a far less nutritious option, was the staple food. Despite the tough times, potatoes still remain a staple food and a national symbol of hope and perseverance.

Ireland and Potatoes will forever go hand in hand. But us Kiwi’s have our own special affinity for this Powerhouse Potato. Being our #1 favourite vege they have been feeding us for thousands of years as well.

To help celebrate in true SPUDTACULAR fashion this Saint Patrick’s Day we have put together a few Irish-inspired recipes options to be washed down with a pint of Guinness!

Scroll through our ‘Travel the World, one potato recipe at a time’ page and find the three classic Irish dishes…..

• Colcannon
• Leek and Potato Soup – here.
• Potato Latkes/Healthy Hashbrowns – here.

We shared another three great recipes last year so check these out again here.

• Green-speckled Spud
• Potato Accordian
• Spinach, Potato and Feta Frittata

Here are another few recipes that we have found are either green or truely Irish inspired:

• Guinness Irish Potato Salad – here.
• Pasta with Green Beans, Potatoes and Pesto - here.
• Bubble and Squeak – here.

Ode to the Irish and Ode to Spuds. Happy St Paddy’s Day Everyone!

Spuddy was on tour last week, travelling south to join the fun at the Matamata Town Makeover!

On Monday 25th February The Chip Group held the Training Seminar for all local retailers selling hot chips in Matamata. Training and Education Manager – Kate Underwood and Champion Chippie – Michael Huang ran the seminar in both English and Chinese and are pictured here with Spuddy! They had a great turn out with loads of industry support including McCains Foods Ltd, Mr Chips and Dean Langall-Read from AS Wilcox.

“It was really great to see the enthusiasm from operators who were learning about their role in the health of their community, and that by making slight changes in the way they cook their chips they can make a significant improvement to the health of their customers” says Kate.

One of the key messages from the training was pointing out the ‘danger zone’ for operators cooking hot chips. When fresh our beloved potatoes have as little as 0.1-0.2% fat, after being processed into chips by McCains or Mr Chips they are around 4-5% fat, but once they reach your fish and chip wrapper they can be anywhere from 7-22% fat – depending on the level of skill of the operator.

Matamata operators were very excited to start putting their new skills into practice and start cooking ‘BETTER CHIPS’ for locals and tourists passing through. Here is Spuddy again with local chippies proudly holding their training certificates.

To find out more about The Chip Group head to their website here. And watch this space for a further update on the Matamata Town Makeover coming soon…

Yet another reason why our spudtacular potatoes are an important part of a healthy balanced diet:

New potato buyers are being encouraged to carry out a simple test to ensure they are indeed buying the delicate new season varieties now hitting the shelves.

The ‘Flick Test’ has been devised by Potatoes New Zealand to help shoppers identify sumptuous new season varieties such as Ilam Hardy and Jersey Benne that are available throughout New Zealand from early October, fresh from New Zealand growers.

“New season potatoes are a Kiwi favourite and with only a very short season, this test is an easy way to identify new potatoes from other tasty but not ‘new season’ potatoes,” says Todd Hughes, a board member for Potatoes New Zealand.

The flick test is based on the Potatoes New Zealand definition of a new potato as a young potato characterised by soft skin – so delicate that it can be easily flicked off by a finger.

“Considering growers work hard to deliver this delicate product in its finest form, shoppers should make sure they’re selecting the best!”

“Look for new potatoes that have smooth, undamaged and unblemished skins. They should be dry and feel firm to touch. If you can flick off the skin easily, then you have a new potato,” says Mr Hughes.

Because the skin of a new potato is so delicate, they’re rarely if ever peeled before cooking. And being young, they retain their shape and texture, and can be seasoned to match the meal.

“With their sweet taste, new potatoes are ideal for potato salads or simply boiled with a knob of butter and a few chopped herbs. Or you could combine them with Kiwis’ two other favourite vegetables, mushrooms and tomatoes, to make a tasty ‘super star’ vegetable combination,” says Mr Hughes. “It’s a short but abundant season, so make the most of it!”

For more cooking tips and tasty potato recipes check out the recipe section on our website here and get cooking!

Media release

Potatoes NZ 2012

For more information contact:

Glenda Gourley, Potatoes NZ, 027 428 1646

Amanda Woodbridge, Ideas Shop, 021 715 499

Potatoes New Zealand are taking a pro-active approach to the current Obesity epidemic. Our focus is to establish and encourage good eating habits with kiwi children.

The facts are simple:

• The most reliable predictor of adult obesity is childhood obesity.
• NZ kids don’t eat enough vegetables.
• Potatoes are kiwi kids favourite vegetable.
• Children with food skills/knowledge are likely to make better food choices.
• Parents are important role models, whose food habits influence childrens food choices.
• PNZ support NZ Nutritional Guidelines for Children and Young People and are committed to sharing their intent with consumers.

We are extremely supportive of the child cooking strategy It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight which focuses on getting kiwi kids gaining skills and confidence in the kitchen as well as the parenting strategy Food Savvy Kids which offers tips and advice about how to prepare your child for a healthy future.

As an industry we accept a corporate responsibility to help New Zealand children establish good eating habits, and we are confident that POTATOES play a crucial role in making it happen.

We were able to share this approach at the 2012 Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society Conference (ANZOS) held last week in Auckland. Our Marketing and Education Consultant Glenda Gourley shared her success with the Bosch It’s My Turn To Cook Tonight Online School Holiday Program and inspired the audience to be innovative and pro-active on what we can do to improve the health of our children and our childrens’ children. For more info on the program check out her website here.

Collectively Potatoes, Tomatoes and Mushrooms are the 3 top sellers in the NZ, making up over 50% of the vegetable market. The start of spring brings us the best of New Zealand’s most loved and wanted vegetables.

We know a tomato is technically a fruit, and a mushroom is a fungi, but in everyday use, and how they are prepared and eaten, these guys are definitely vegetables!

Very different and very versatile, Superstars have 3 distinctly different tastes, textures and looks. They can be prepared  in a multitude of ways from salads to soups, mashes to roasts for breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner; any time of year! Their wonderful combination of taste and colour mean you can play it safe or introduce a range of new flavours and still guarantee that your family will love them.

We have put together a range of recipe ideas for you and your family to enjoy any time of day! But experiment yourself, get creative and play around with your own combination of the superstars. Share your ideas with us on Facebook and keep an eye out in your local supermarket for our Superstar support.

Individually they have an excellent nutrient profile, so when these three are combined they are a nutritional powerhouse. The dynamic trio of 1 potato + 1 tomato + 3 mushrooms covers a wide range of the nutrients including vitamin C, B-group vitamins, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, fibre and antioxidants. You name it – they’ve got it covered.

Potatoes are one of ‘Seven foods not to fear’ in the latest copy from the Sunday Star Times- 22nd July. Along with Gluten/Wheat, Fried Foods, Eggs, Fruits, Soy and Alcohol. Here’s what Katherine Tallmadge has to say to back up our mate Spuddy:

“Potatoes have been blamed for increasing blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, excess weight and type 2 diabetes. A recent Harvard study that followed larged populations and their disease rates linked potato eating with being overweight, blaming in on the blood glucose rise.

But many foods, including whole-wheat bread and whole-grain cereals, cause similar spikes in blood glucose, and are correlated with superior health and lower body weights. How could the higher body weight in the Harvard study be explained?

The study lumped all potato products together, including potato chips and french fries, very fattening versions of potatoes usually eaten in large portions alongside hamburgers, hot dogs and fizzy drinks.

“It’s and easy food to attack, but the meal pattern may be the culprit,” said David Baer of the Department of Agriculture. “Other epidemiological studies have not verified a connection between potatoes and weight gain or any diseases, and no clinical studies have shown a connection.”

Potatoes are a great source of potassium, vitamin C and fibre that many cultures- Scandinavians, Russians, Irish and Peruvians – relied on as a nutritious staple for centuries. And they were not fat. ”

Find out more about the Potato as a ‘Nutritional goldmine’ here.

The 2011 National Chip Survey revealed some great results for The Chip Group particularly with regards to sodium content. In June 2011 they measured a range of objectives in takeaway outlets throughout NZ and compared results to earlier surveys in 1999 and 2007.

Their best results came with Sodium as most retailers were achieving the target of a maximum sodium level of 170mg per 100g of chips.  This is brilliant news as a high intake of salt (sodium) increases the risk of heart disease/stroke- the single most common cause of death in New Zealand. Since 2007 sodium levels have significantly decreased. So customers asking for chips with less salt, or operators providing salt sachets seem to be the best ways to reduce this sodium content. Let’s hope we can all keep up the good work!

One aspect that was not achieved was the display of training certificates in takeaway outlets. In fact only a small number of certificates were visible so it seemed very few current retailers appeared to have trained. Hence the focus for The Chip Group this year is to offer FREE TRAINING throughout NZ for all takeaway outlets keen to up-skill their staff and improve their business.

Potatoes New Zealand are proud members of The Chip Group so we are always looking for ways to support the work they do. Keep a lookout for training opportunities in your region, encourage your local fish and chip shop to get involved in training and to contact Kate if they are interested in getting their staff chip-savvy! The Chip Group are here to help NZ businesses and most importantly ‘Work together to make Better Chips’.