# ID this mystery tuber **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2022, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292 "2022-07-02T06:50:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/1 "2022-07-02T06:50:23Z")
Here in Korea, potatoes are suddenly hard to come by. I found some in a small local grocery, but in the harsh light of my kitchen, I’m not sure these are potatoes. They are the size and shape of regular cooking potatoes, but they are lighter by about half, and the color is kind of a khaki pink. I cut one up and threw it in the slow cooker with the rest of the bean soup ingredients, but meanwhile, could somebody tell me what it is I just bought? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/2 "2022-07-02T08:18:14Z")
Tastes really bland, for the record. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/3 "2022-07-02T09:13:36Z")
A picture would help. Next to something as a size reference. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/4 "2022-07-02T09:39:30Z")
There is always the Potato Variety Database! [https://potatoes.agricrops.org/varieties/advanced\_search](https://potatoes.agricrops.org/varieties/advanced_search) Lets you put in some characteristics and searches for varieties based on those. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/5 "2022-07-02T10:27:01Z")
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties of potatoes. Most have never left their place of origin, but there are dozens that have been commercially developed. You might, in fact, have a variety of potato you are unfamiliar with. Also, I’m wondering why potatoes may have become scarce in your area. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/6 "2022-07-02T11:53:49Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Potato Variety Database Band name. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/7 "2022-07-02T12:40:16Z")
Broomstick > Also, I’m wondering why potatoes may have become scarce in your area. I’m told it has something to do with the war in Russia. Some places (Lotteria and Subway) have stopped serving fries and chips. McDonalds and Burger King are still serving fries. Maybe the big grocery chains in my city have exclusive contracts with Russian agribiz? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/8 "2022-07-02T16:32:29Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > > [@Teuton](#): > > > > Potato Variety Database > > Band name. I was away from the boards for a couple years. It’s bits like this that makes me glad I checked back in. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/9 "2022-07-02T18:53:45Z")
Yeah, I think a photo is probably going to be required for any kind of conclusive ID. Going on the description, it could perhaps be some variety of radish or turnip, or jicama maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/10 "2022-07-02T18:56:03Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > There are hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties of potatoes. The thing that makes me think maybe it’s not a potato is OP saying the density is about half that of a more familiar potato. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/11 "2022-07-02T20:07:18Z")
Radishes, Jerusalem Artichokes, some varieties of Sweet Potato are a few things that feel less dense than a potato ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/12 "2022-07-03T00:00:29Z")
Well, after six hours in the slow cooker, it tastes like a potato. It looks like a Superior White potato, a thin-skinned spud with a subtle pinkish hue, maybe three inches in diameter. At this point I’m reasonably sure it’s not a turnip. The density was the big red flag. I find a lot of vegetables here that look like other vegetables but wind up not tasting like them or being otherwise interchanfeable with them, and was concerned that I’d done it again. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/13 "2022-07-03T06:37:47Z")
Horatio\_Hellpop Guest Broomstick 18h > Broomstick > > ``` > Also, I’m wondering why potatoes may have become scarce in your area. > > ``` > > I’m told it has something to do with the war in Russia. Some places (Lotteria and Subway) have > stopped serving fries and chips. McDonalds and Burger King are still serving fries. Maybe the big grocery chains in my city have exclusive contracts with Russian agribiz? Korean news sources cite a drought in Idaho as well as US labor shortages. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/14 "2022-07-03T08:38:13Z")
Huh. Well, yes, there’s drought and labor shortages… but those have been ongoing for years. And there’s no lack of potatoes in US stores. Perhaps there’s a shortage and thus fewer for export? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mystery-tuber/967292/15 "2022-07-03T12:21:56Z")
Probably the war in Russia is a contributing factor.