Description
The Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI are potatoes belonging to the Bintje type which includes all the varieties of this cultivar.
Production Area
The production area of the Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI only includes 43 municipal areas located in the Lys Valley, in the area of Merville and in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.
Production Method
Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI are cultivated in clayey soil of the Lys Valley following very precise and standardised rules about the cultivation and fertilization of the land. The harvest of the pommes is carried out at the moment of complete ripening and the tubers reaped undergo a careful check. The potatoes are selected and, while waiting to be sold, they are preserved in stable temperature and humidity conditions.
Appearance and Flavour
The Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI have an oblong regular shape, medium to large size, with yellow flesh and fine grains and a minimum rate of 20% of dry matter.
History
The origin of the Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI production in this area is very ancient. Since it is a product which is appreciated very much by its quality, the denomination was illegally used to such a point that in 1962 was created the first protection union.
Gastronomy
The Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI must be kept in a fresh and dry place, possibly without light to prevent that it germinates. They are consumed after cooking. These potatoes are optimum for the preparation of side-dishes, combined with other vegetables and meat. They are ideal to prepare cream soups and soups due to its thickening feature, an excellent paste is obtained, a side-dish par excellence that goes alongside the meat or vegetables, mixed with butter. They are used also to prepare potatoe pies.
Marketing
The product is sold as Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI. They are marketed in adequate, transpiring packages of different weight, which have a clear PGI logo. Each lot of certified potatoes delivered by the producers to the cooperative must be identified.
Distinctive Features
The peculiar characteristic of the Pommes de Terre de Merville PGI is the high rate of dry matter of the tuber, which certainly derives from the nature of the soil and from the production method which determine the organoleptic characteristics of the product. The reputation of the product has been certainly spread out of the production territory also by the ability of Merville traders.
