The History of Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes were developed at the University of Guelph in Ontario and first bred in the late 1960s by a potato breeder named Gary Johnson. The cultivar was created by crossing a North American white potato with a yellow-fleshed Peruvian variety. Named for a territory in northwestern Canada, the new potato variety was first released to consumers in 1980. While yellow-fleshed potatoes have long been used in Europe and South America, the Yukon Gold was the first yellow potato that most North American cooks encountered in the grocery store. The cultivar introduced the color and creaminess of South American varieties to the American market and was the first of its kind to gain traction in the area; russet potatoes had previously completely dominated the North American potato market. The flavor, texture, and versatility of Yukon Gold potatoes made them popular with home cooks and professional chefs alike and the variety became a staple in many recipes. However, Yukon Gold potatoes are hard to find today. That’s because they are susceptible to disease, hard to store, and difficult to grow in the changing climate. A variety of newer European yellow potatoes have taken their place on grocery store shelves. Because most stores label potatoes by color (such as “yellow” or “gold”) rather than by cultivar, many consumers haven’t noticed the change. So while Yukon Gold potatoes are still out there, you likely haven’t eaten one in a while. And although some die-hard fans specifically seek out Yukon Gold potatoes at small shops and farmer’s markets, most consumers simply purchase the similar European varieties now sold in most grocery stores, as these taste very similar and behave the same way in recipes.