We can’t ignore it any longer: the holidays are approaching. And while the festive season is, of course, about spending quality time with loved ones, taking a break from work, and generally having a merry old time, the part we look forward to most is always the food. We know we’re not alone.
Lashings of gravy, stuffing, and piles of dairy-free mac and cheese? Sign us up. Mashed potatoes are, of course, a must. But this year, they’ll be sitting alongside a new addition: crispy, fluffy, umami-packed roasted potatoes that naturally taste like chicken.
Yep, it sounds like a fantasy, but thanks to Row 7, this potato actually exists. It’s called Poulette, and it’s available for purchase at select Whole Foods Markets now.
Row 7
Row 7 takes humble vegetables to the next level
American seed-to-table brand Row 7 specializes in creating vegetables that challenge our everyday perceptions of what produce can be. Founded by Michelin-starred chef Dan Barber, the company aims to level up flavor through careful breeding practices.
In February, for example, the brand introduced three new varieties of canned vegetables at Whole Foods Market: Badger Flame Beets, Sweet Prince Tomatoes, and Sweet Garleek, a garlic-leek hybrid.
“Flavor doesn’t start in the kitchen—it starts with the seed,” said Barber. “Most canned vegetables come from varieties bred for yield and logistics. Ours come from varieties bred for exceptional flavor, which means they shine fresh and translate beautifully in the tin.”
Row 7
Introducing Poulette
Now, ahead of the holiday season, Row 7 has launched Poulette. The organic potato, a cross between a French heirloom and a New York variety, is the result of more than a decade of breeding.
According to Barber, Poulette boasts a unique “savory depth” and tastes as if it were cooked in chicken fat. Hence the name Poulette, which means “young hen” in French.
“The first time we tasted it, everyone at the table said the same thing. The name more or less picked itself,” Barber told Food & Wine. “That’s the magic of working at the seed level. There’s a whole library of flavors out there we’ve barely begun to explore.”
He also told the publication: “I love old potatoes. I don’t love most modern varieties of potatoes (think: Idaho Russet), which have been selected for yield and uniformity and shelf life but not flavor. But the heirlooms we love were once new too. Someone selected them. Row 7 is about continuing that tradition with both breeders and chefs at the table.”
Intrigued? Poulette is now available at Whole Foods Market stores in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
