Irsih Cobbler was the standard potato in Virginia during the 30's and 40's. That was all my father would plant. Kennebecs began to take over in the fifties and now dominate among home growers. It is a bit later, much larger and under favorable conditions better yielding than the Irish Cobbler. The Irish Cobbler is a round white potato, Texture is more that of a boiling potato than a baking potato. Hard to beat as a general purpose potato.
A contemporary of the Irish Cobbler, similar in appearnce, usually grown only as a fall crop was the Green Mountain. Katahdin is also similar and was popular in the Virginia mountain counties.

My parents grew them last summer, in a garden that consistently produces nice potatoes. We ate the last of them over this past weekend. They tasted like dirty potatoes- just could not get that dirty earthy taste out of them even with removing the skins. Kennebeck potatoes grown right new to them were tasty, as always.

My parents will never grow Irish Cobblers. As with all things, your mileage may vary...

Oh my, I'd hate to plant 50 lbs of these and have them not be good?

I may want to re-think this.

Thanks,
Susan

I just had some of my Kennebecs for dinner tonight, and I think it would be hard to find a better potato of the kind.

And I had heard about that 'dirty' taste to Irish Cobblers, but have never had that kind of potato myself, and I don't know if it's always like that, or if it's due to the soil it grows in, or something else.

Sue

I have never experienced this dirty taste in cobbler potatoes. I grow about five pounds every year and we like it very much although they have a little deeper eye than I like. I also grow a red viking, a yellow yukon gold, a purple caribe and some kennebecs.

I found them an excellent eating potato. We ate them every day for a couple of weeks while staying in PEI - it's the standard variety there - and never noticed any dirty taste.

Thanks, glad to hear some good reviews. I am hoping to get some in the next week or two. I got 25 lbs of Red Pontiacs and 50 lbs of Chippwa (sp?) The seed store I bought them from said they are very similar to Kennebecs only better.

Susan in very windy NC
Windy Ridge Farm

I like the taste of Irish cobblers fine. Another comment: The phase "Irish potato" is one that some young people do not seem to know. Its just another name for potato.

Robert

I've read this forum with interest and seek your answers and advice. What is the difference between a chipping (chipper?) potato (such as Chippawa?, Salem, and New York 128)and a cobbler or kennebec when it comes to baking or mashing? I am having difficulty finding seed potatoes this year; the 3 I mentioned above in ( ) are available as well as cobblers. Should I go with the cobbler?

Primary difference are in starch , moisture, and sugars. By the way the term Irish potato is used to differentiate them from sweet potatoes for those areas that grow both. Both French fries and chips are prettier and lighter when the high starch type potatoes are used. A chip made from a high sugar potato tends to be brown in color. Both Irish Cobblers and Kennebecs are in the middle and usually referred to a s general purpose potatoes. Kennebec is larger and has much shallower eyes than the Irish Cobbler.

Here is a link that might be useful: Irish potato characteristics

Don't be afraid of the Irish Cobblers. If you are boiling them, of course leave the delicate skins on and keep a close eye. If they are over cooked they will tend to fall to pieces and thus have too much moisture. If cooked correctly they have a wonderful almost nutty undertone. Amazing.

I am from PEI which of course is potato country and just from my own personal experience I would say that Irish cobblers are pretty much exclusively eaten as a "new" or "early" potato. That may be why people have had experiences with a "dirty" taste in later months. There are plenty of tasty spuds for long storage. Enjoy those cobblers in their prime :)