Get Chippy

What makes a potato “chipworthy?” The folks in Taber should know.

Never mind corn, this is the epicentre of potato production in the province. Taber potatoes provide a good way to eat locally, and conveniently. Most Taber potatoes - 75 per cent of them - are made into French fries or potato chips. In Alberta, if you buy McCain, Maple Leaf or Lamb Weston fries, or Old Dutch or Frito-Lay potato chips, you’re likely eating home grown food.

The potatoes we eat from Taber are classic round, white potatoes and are a good source of vitamin C and carbohydrates. French fry potatoes are bred to have more starch and less water, which means minimal oil absorption and a fluffier French fry.

The root veggies that go into potato chips have low sugar content so they don’t caramelize and turn dark brown during the frying process. Chip companies’ exact oil formulations are a closely guarded secret, but canola and sunflower oils come into the mix. With focus on eating locally, tubers from Taber might be one of the tastiest ways.

For more information, visit:

• Potato Growers of Alberta
• Town of Taber