The new batch of Jersey Royals used to be a special occasion.
Even though at times dear enough to be given as presents they were a prized thing.
Over the last couple of years I think the flavour has waned.
This year I have bought from Marks, Safeway and small deli-type shops and they are just...Ho-Hum.
Marks and Safeway say I'm the only one who has moaned but the deli says that in Jersey the EU have banned them using seaweed as a fertilizer, leading to a lessening of flavour.
Yesterday Ross (Did you know he was going to South Africa today?) said how lovely they were.
Are JR's trading on past glory?

I think you are spot on, ive bought from different places and well they dont even have the same look, they smell like jerseys when raw but there is something missing. They used to be so fragrant, now well getting blander by the year.

I am glad someone else feels the same, i have been saying for years that the flavour is nothing like when we were children, and then you could only buy them for a short time, now the seasons seems to go on for months a form of mass production effecting the flavour perhaps. Also what happened to jersey mids?

I think it depends where you buy them from. I find the ones bought in supermarkets are definitely not so flavoursome. Yesterday I bought my first english new potatoes because my local fruit and veg shop has finished with Jersey royals now and they were sooooo delicious, can't wait to have some more tonight.

In April last year I went to Jersey, timing my visit to coincide with the potato harvest, and I bought Jersey royals from farm shops to bring home. In fact, I filled a small suitcase (On wheels) and gave small bags to my friends. I can definitely confirm that these tasted tremendously good and just like they always did.

I would'nt want potatoes for a present.

fussy mare!

We often wore a single Jersey Royal on a chain.
It was a token of affection.
You would get perhaps three weeks before it went rotten and fell off the chain.
like you say, the aroma was wonderfull.
It was a sign of relative prosperity in the area, some of the neighbourscould only afford to wear something like a shallot, or perhaps a small beetroot.
Er, no, I was joking about the present thingy :-)
You might find that on the island they can sell the pukkah stuff, just ca't export #em.

Don't suppose anyone would bother bringing you a presie then Blondie.

Well Gaye, if you bothered to buy and transport something as heavy as potatoes all the way back for me, I would love you for it. I bet your friends did too.

Oh and by the way, the Jamie Callum autograph that you went out of your way to get for the Amazing Daisy charity fund, helped to raised £30,000, Thanks for caring xxx

I know this is off topic but £30,000 is quite an achievement MammaChef. Well done to all those that helped raise the money!

Back onto potatoes! LOL I don't think Jersey Royals have the same flavour as they used to. Much prefer Lincolns these days!

Thanks Carole1,

I'm sure we are allowed to go off topic for such a good cause details on "a huge success" off the menu.

When kenneth was talking about pressy's, I thought he was referring to birthday presents.

Hello Lindsay and thank you!! It is utterly amazing that your restaurant collected £30,000 - well done, lets hope we can help you beat it next year,

On yesterday's programme the man talking about the different varieties of potato said that jersey royal farmers are no longer allowed to fertilise their crop with seaweed like they used to. However, I bought a pack of Jerseys from Sainsburys and as a selling point, on the pack it says "...selected from sloping fields near the sea and fertilised using seaweed from the beaches...". Surely retailers can't state this on produce if it's no longer the case? I agree that the flavour has all but disappeared.

J had a call the other day from one of the J/R's reps in the UK.
He said it was rubbish that they no longer were using seaweed, AND that there was any difference in quality.
Then I saw the same bloke on GFL.
Either WE are all telling porkies (about lessening of flavour) or he is bending the facts.
This seaweed lark will turn into one of these urban myth jobby's.
They were "special" but are now just new spuds IMVVHO
Ken