Tips for Purchasing and Preparing potatoes at their best:

Purchasing:

• When purchasing potatoes, look for ones that are fairly clean and smooth with few eyes.
• Choose firm potatoes that have not sprouted.

Storage:

• Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place, preferably with high humidity.
• Do not put potatoes in the refrigerator as it is too cold and will cause sweetening of the potatoes (the starch turns to sugar and produces an undesirable taste).
• Potatoes don't need to be washed before storing
• Potatoes can be kept in a brown, perforated plastic, or burlap bag.
• Be sure to check on them and remove potatoes that have sprouted or softened.
• When stored properly, potatoes will keep for up to two months.
• Don't store potatoes with onions, as onions produce a natural gas that quickens the decay of potatoes. Also, potatoes release a natural gas that speeds up the decay of onions

Preparation and Cooking:

• Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water and add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar to minimize browning. You can also sprinkle them with lemon or apple juice.
• For baked potatoes, poke the skin with a fork so the steam can escape.