Lapin puikula is a Laplandian potato, only grown in the very northern regions of Finland and Sweden. It is a delicacy. I can testify to this. It's a small, almond shaped spud with a very high starch content. The preferred method of cooking is steaming, because they are so delicate. The preferred mode f eating them is mashed. They are so rich they require no milk when mashing. Served with just a bit of butter, though I'm here to tell you they were pretty danged good with the meatball sauce.
I'm tryin to do some research on them and I keep seeing that they've acclimated to the arctic climate and are disease free. So far I haven't found anything about their physiology—how are they different? What's the nature of their acclimation? What is it about the soil of Lapland that makes them so different?
I'm told the variety is also grown in Greenland, but that the taste is different. Which makes sense but again, it would be interesting to know why.
Whatever the reasons, most definitely the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. The classic sautéed reindeer dish is served with mashed lapin puikula.
here is a video of Old Gardener Guy in Lapland harvesting two varieties of potatoes. Skip to about the middle if you just want to see this one.
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