When it comes to origin stories, our royal potatoes have a curious tale to tell. Dig up the history of the Jersey Royal and tuck into our top tips on how to enjoy this local produce hero.

So how did they come to be? It’s all thanks to a tenacious local farmer named Hugh de la Haye who, in approximately 1880, stumbled upon a curiously large tuber and decided to see what would sprout from it in his St. Ouen’s Bay fields. Quite by chance, what grew was a crop of intriguingly small, kidney shaped spuds with a heavenly flavour. Tune in below to uncover the whole story…

Pick up a spud… and much more.

You can’t get fresher Jersey Royals than the spuds sold at the farms where they’re grown. Dotted around the island you’ll find roadside ‘hedge veg’ stalls and farm shops bursting with locally produced and grown goods just waiting to be enjoyed. Discover some of Jersey’s top farm shops and markets.

Royals on the menu.

You’re sure to find Jersey Royals on the menu throughout the year but if you visit between April and August, you’ll be treated to the cream of the crop and this is when most local cafés and restaurants will add the seasonal delicacy to their plates. Two prime places where you can be sure to tuck into these tasty spuds are the Potato Shack Café at Woodlands Farm, where they grow their own Jersey Royals – talk about field to fork! Or grab a picnic table at Faulkner Fisheries with sweeping views of St. Ouen’s Bay and devour fresh Jersey seafood with a generous side of buttered up Jersey Royals. Is your stomach rumbling yet?!

Raise a glass to Hugh de la Haye.

Our little island is home to a few Jersey vodkas. Borne out of a love for our scrumptious seasonal beauties, they’re just the tipples to warm the cockles of your heart. Whet your whistle with the Jersey Distillery Company’s artisan vodka ‘Fluke’ or La Mare’s craft, ‘Royal Vodka’ and ‘Royal Gin’. Or why not try Royal Mash Vintage Vodka, also produced using our Jersey Royal potatoes and available in many of the island’s bars and restaurants. The best bit? They’re made exclusively with our local potatoes.

Our suggestion is to serve with a locally grown garnish.

The genuine article.

As an island, our pride and passion is our world famous local produce, ‘it’s a labour of love and pride as well; you’ve got to be dedicated to do it,” says Didier Hellio, a local Jersey Royals farmer. Jersey Royals are so special that they are the only potato in the UK to boast an EU Protected Designation of Origin status – making them a truly unique spud. As you explore the island, keep an eye out for the Genuine Jersey stamp, a hallmark of island life and a guarantee of local provenance. Explore just a few of the amazing local producers who are proud to say they are ‘genuinely Jersey’.

Discover more 

A bowl of Jersey Royal Potatoes on a table with other vegetables

Small but mighty.

A healthy potato.

For such a tiny vegetable, Jersey Royals punch above their weight when it comes to health benefits. They’re packed full of fibre, are a great source of complex carbohydrates, have a hit of vitamin C and B and to top it off, are low in fat making them a deliciously healthy addition to your plate of Jersey produce.

Plate of Jersey Royals

Jersey Royal Recipes

From field to fork...

Grabbed yourself a bag of grown goods to indulge in? It’s now time to cook up a spud storm with our inspirational royal recipes.

Discover our recipes 

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