Cold River Gold | Green Thumb Farms

MAINE’S PREMIUM POTATO COMES HOME

For years, chefs in Maine, and beyond, have fallen in love with the Cold River Gold potato. Why? Because they know it’s versatile, can keep longer than most other varieties, and maintains its unique yellow-gold color, creamy texture, and intense flavor every single time you cook it.

Now you can enjoy Cold River Gold in your own home!

Try Cold River Gold and get ready for an unmatched potato eating experience:

They mash up fluffy, not dry, and create a creamy texture.
When baked, they stay moist – and that light golden color makes it look buttery, even before the butter!
They hold together in boiled recipes (soups or canning) and don’t get mushy.
They burst with flavor when you fry them and stay light in color every time.

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, FARM FRESH

Green Thumb Farms is a third-generation family business that’s been farming in Western Maine since 1965. Our agricultural roots lie in the production of the highest quality potatoes — from seed selection to harvest — while our state-of-the-art technology ensures that only the best potatoes go into every bag.

Origins

Green Thumb Farms is nestled in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley in Fryeburg, Maine. Here you’ll find the perfect growing conditions for the Cold River Gold variety:

Pure, mineral-rich water feeds the plants, while a static water table keeps them steadily hydrated with the water they need.
The Valley holds heat like a pocket, which creates a warmer micro-climate that extends the growing period.
Sandy soil with no rocks means less bruising for our light-gold potatoes.

We know our potatoes so well that we can trace each one directly back to the field where it was grown!

Presentation

Premium products deserve premium packaging. We’re so proud of Cold River Gold potatoes that we designed a special bag so consumers can easily find it at their local store. The visual graphics on our new packaging celebrates the Cold River and the unique growing region of the Mount Washington Valley.

Our new bag is made of quality craft paper, similar to what we deliver to chefs. The paper blocks out light better and keeps Cold River Gold potatoes fresher for longer. The air vent — shaped like the state of Maine to celebrate our roots — helps the potatoes to breathe better than standard plastic bags.

Cold River Gold Potatoes Now Available at select grocers.

FROM PROFESSIONAL KITCHENS TO YOURS

Our restaurant partners have been telling us for years how much they love the flavor and versatility of this potato. We listened to them, and now Cold River Gold is available for home cooks to make traditional dishes or experiment with new recipes!

Restaurant partners

We provide premium potatoes to restaurants across Maine and New England. Here are just a few of the restaurants that use the Cold River Gold variety:

Bolley’s Famous Franks in Waterville, Maine (site of the famous straight-cut vs. crinkle-cut controversy) still uses Cold River Gold. Co-owner Jim Parsons called this variety “the best potato in Maine.”
Duckfat in Portland, Maine is world-renowned for its Hand Cut Belgian Fries, not to mention the Poutine! In fact, in 2016 they won a #2 spot for best fries in the country.
Duckfat Friteshack is a walk-up fry window located in the beer garden at Oxbow Blending and Bottling in Portland. Just like you might find in Belgium or the streets of Amsterdam!
Figgy’s Takeout & Catering, located in the West End neighborhood of Portland, uses Cold River Gold potatoes to make their Buttermilk Mashed Maine Potatoes.
Noble BBQ in Portland uses our potatoes for their beloved Scrappy Fries, a hot delicious mess of twice-fried french fries, baked beans, cotija cheese, poblano sauce, and butcher’s meat scraps.
Wicked Fresh Craft Burgers in North Conway, New Hampshire uses this variety for Hand-Cut Fries (with lots of special house-made sauces), Hand-Cut Wicked Fries tossed with house-grown herbs, and Hand-Cut Wicked Truffle Fries.

Testimonials

“We use Green Thumb potatoes because of their perfect starch ratio– not too starchy, not too waxy. They’re always very clean and perfectly thin skinned. And they hold up nicely for mashing, roasting, and frying!” — Figgy, chef-owner of Figgy’s Takeout & Catering

“These potatoes are the best on the market by far! Their versatility is unmatched and the flavor is second to none!” — Danny Rassi and Marc Iannuzzi, chef-owners of Wicked Fresh Craft Burgers

“Our kitchen uses nearly three tons of potatoes a month, and after years of testing it’s clear that Green Thumb Farms has the ultimate, multi-purpose potato. At its best when frying, it develops a crisp, golden outside with a pillowy center and a buttery, potato forward flavor that is unmatched.” — Kevin Soucy, Central Support Chef of RiRa Group

“When deciding on the menu for NOBLE Barbecue, it was imperative that we serve french fries…because a sandwich isn’t complete without a side of fries! As with our sandwiches and meats, our french fries need to be of the highest quality. The decision was easy.” — Ryan Carey, Owner of NOBLE Barbecue

DELICIOUS TRADITIONS, EASY TO MAKE

Cold River Gold potatoes are a healthy addition to any meal, whether it’s a holiday celebration, a backyard barbecue, or Thursday dinner. Traditions matter to us, so we invite you to continue a tradition that you love, or start your own!

Cold River Gold Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients

5-pound bag of Cold River Gold potatoes
1 Qt. of cream or Half & half
¼-pound of butter, melted (½ cup or 1 full stick)
1½-pounds of sharp cheddar (or similarly flavored cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and dice all 5 pounds of Cold River Gold Potatoes.

Add potatoes to a pot of cold water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cook potatoes until tender (about 9-11 minutes depending on the size of the dice) and then drain immediately.

Mix cream, melted butter, and salt and pepper.

Pour mixture over the prepared potato cubes and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate.

When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove potatoes and cream from refrigerator and add cheese cubes (diced same size as potatoes). Lightly toss everything together.

Butter or spray a casserole dish and pour in mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees (about 40-50 minutes).

Stir gently to mix, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve piping hot!

This recipe will make about 15 8-ounce portions.

*Chef’s tip: Mash any leftover potatoes. In a heavy skillet, drizzle 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and heat on medium high. Scoop mashed leftovers and form small cakes. Flip and fry each cake until golden. Serve hot – add chopped chives for an easy and appealing garnish!

Fine Herb Potatoes

Ingredients

5-pound bag of Cold River Gold potatoes
Assortment of fresh herbs of your choice. Try: Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme and/or Chives
½-pound of salted butter, melted (2 cups or 4 full sticks)

Directions

Peel one Cold River Gold potato per person. (Prepare a few extra for breakfast tomorrow morning!)

Place peeled potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cook potatoes until tender (about 20 minutes), and then drain.

While potatoes are cooking prepare the mixture of fine herbs. Clean leaves from stems, fine dice the herbs, and mix them all together. Place the prepared herbs on a plate large enough to roll a potato on.

Melt the butter and place in a bowl big enough to roll a potato in one at a time.

Once the potatoes are ready, dip each one, still hot, into the melted butter, then roll it in the fine herbs and place on a serving plate. Repeat until all portions are coated, and serve immediately (salt and pepper on the side is nice).

*Chef’s tip: Cold River Gold Fine Herb Potatoes can be reheated on the stovetop in a sauté pan on low/medium heat, or in the oven at 350-degrees, or in the microwave on low.

Cold River Gold premium potatoes are the perfect size to make one per person with this recipe!

O’Brien Potatoes

Makes 14 6-ounce portions

Ingredients

5-pound bag of Cold River Gold potatoes
2 large green peppers, seeded and diced into medium-sized pieces
2 small jars of diced pimentos, drained
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Peel and dice 5 pounds of Cold River Gold potatoes.

Add potatoes to a pot of cold water and bring to a boil.

Cook until you can easily pierce potatoes with a fork (about 11-13 minutes).

In a large sautée pan, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and heat on medium-high.

Add green peppers and until they’re soft, then add diced pimentos and continue sautéeing until well-heated.

Remove peppers and pimentos and put in a bowl for later use. (Be sure to save the oil in the pan.)

Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to pan and heat until very hot (but not smoking).

Add diced potatoes and sautée until browned and crisp. (Depending on the size of the sautée pan, this may need to be done in two steps. Don’t forget to add more olive oil to the pan before sautéeing the second batch of potatoes.)

Once potatoes are nice and browned, add peppers and pimentos and gently mix until well-blended.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

*Chef’s tip: Save leftovers for breakfast…this recipe pairs well with a cheese omelet.

Duchess Potatoes

Makes 12 5-ounce portions

Ingredients

4 pounds of Cold River Gold potatoes *Chef’s tip: Peel and cook all 5 Lbs. and use the extra for breakfast potatoes!
4 eggs
½ stick of butter (melted)
Salt and pepper
½ cup cream or half ‘n half
1 stp. Ground nutmeg

Directions

Peel 4 pounds of Cold River Gold potatoes.

Place potatoes in pot and cover with water.

Cook on medium-high until you can easily pierce potatoes with a fork (about 35-45 minutes).

Drain cooked potatoes and return to pot. Evaporate excess water by heating on medium-high while stirring constantly until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.

Hand mash potatoes or use the paddle attachment on mixing machine to break up potatoes.

Once potatoes are partially mashed, use a hand mixer or your mixing machine with beater or whip attachment.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Add ½ stick of melted butter and salt & pepper to taste.

Separate 4 eggs –and keeping whites for later step – and beat yolks.

Add 4 beaten egg yolks and ½ cup warmed cream or half ‘n half, plus 1 tsp. ground nutmeg to potatoes.

Whip potatoes until smooth, adjust seasonings, and set aside.

Line a cookie sheet pan with parchment paper.

Using a large pastry bag with a large star tube, fill the bag ⅔ full of the potato mixture.

Bag 3” – 4” swirled potatoes (one per serving) in circles until a uniform mound is formed.

In a bowl, add a teaspoon of water to egg whites and whip with a fork until well-blended.

Using a pastry brush or a new, cleaned 2” paint brush, gently “paint” potato mounds with beaten egg whites. (This helps them brown up nicely.)

Place potatoes in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are browned.

Remove from oven and plate immediately using a thin spatula.

Cold River Gold Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 10

Ingredients

4 pounds of Cold River Gold potatoes.
*Chef’s tip: Peel and cook all 5 Lbs. and use the extra for breakfast potatoes tomorrow morning!
1 head of garlic
½ stick of butter
½ cup of Half & half, milk or cream
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

With a sharp knife or pair of scissors, snip the top of each clove of garlic.

Place the whole head of garlic on a square of foil, drizzle olive oil over the garlic, and then fold up all 4 corners of the foil and crimp by hand.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Place 4 (or 5) pounds of Cold River Gold potatoes in a pot, cover with water and boil until fork tender.

Drain well and put 4 pounds back in the pot and place on stove top on low. Stir constantly for a minute or two to evaporate excess water, then remove from heat. (*Put remaining pound of potatoes in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until next use.)

In a small pan heat ½ stick of butter and ½ cup of Half & half, milk or cream until butter is melted.

Hand mash (or use a paddle in a bowl mixer on low) to break up potatoes. Replace paddle with a whip or use a hand mixer to mash the potatoes.

Un-crimp foil on garlic and remove cloves from the head.

Pinch the bottom of each clove to remove roasted garlic from skin and discard empty skins.

Place roasted garlic on a cutting board and add 1 tsp. salt.

Holding the knife so the cutting edge of the blade is away from you, using the knife blade, mash the salted garlic into a paste.

Add the warm butter and cream to the potatoes.

Season with salt, pepper and garlic paste. Whip on medium until fluffy.

Taste and adjust seasoning as you prefer.

Holiday Potatoes

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

4-5 lbs Cold River Gold potatoes
11⁄2 Cups whole milk
1⁄2 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Cup smoked gouda cheese, grated
1 Cup fontina cheese, grated
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 9×13 baking dish.

Put milk, cream, garlic, thyme, butter, salt, and pepper in a saucepan and simmer over very low heat for 20-30 minutes.

While the milk is simmering, wash potatoes and slice thin, at least 1/4 inch. (If you have a mandolin slicer it will make this task much easier!)

Layer all of the potatoes and cheese into the baking dish, and finish with the cheese. Remove the thyme stems and the whole garlic cloves from the milk, then pour the milk mixture over the potatoes. Cook in the oven for 45-60 minutes. (Potatoes should be soft before you take out.) Let rest for about 15 minutes.

Liégeois Potatoes

Serves 8

Ingredients

3-4 Cold RIver Gold potatoes
3-4 Cups of green beans
1-2 Cups of cooked bacon, cut into strips
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon of butter
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons of vinegar Salt

Directions

Steam or boil unpeeled potatoes for 30 minutes. Peel and slice them across, then put aside and keep warm.

Trim the green beans and cook for 12-15 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain and keep warm.

Fry the bacon in a pan with the butter, add the onion and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with vinegar.

Place the potatoes and beans in a shallow dish, add the onions and bacon. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with tarragon. Serve hot.

Cold Potato Salad

Serves 16-18

Ingredients

7 lbs Cold River Gold potatoes, peeled, boiled, and cooled
12 ounces celery, diced
3 ounces pimentos, diced (optional)
3 ounces onions, minced
4 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
1 ounce parsley, washed and chopped
1⁄2 Cup sweet relish
3 Cups mayonnaise
1⁄2 Cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Boil and cool potatoes, then dice. Place cooled potatoes in a bowl and mix with celery, pimentos, onions, and hard boiled eggs.

In a separate mixing bowl, add parsley, sweet relish, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk with a hand whip until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Taste and adjust seasonings, then pour over cold potatoes and mix gently.

This salad is best when mixed a day or two prior to serving!

Green Thumb Farms Potato Pizza

Serves 6

Ingredients

Crust:

5 Cups of mashed potatoes (see Cold River Gold Mashed Potato recipe above)
2 eggs, beaten
1⁄2 Cup parmesan cheese
Garlic, salt, and pepper, to taste

Toppings:

1⁄2 lb. cooked bacon, broken into pieces
1 large red onion, sliced thin
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1⁄2 Cup celery, cut into pieces
1⁄2 Cup broccoli, cut into pieces
10 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese
Shredded parsley, for garnish

Directions

Mix potatoes, eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture on a greased cookie sheet or ungreased pizza stone.

Place sliced onions, tomatoes, celery, and broccoli over potato mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits and shredded cheese. Sprinkle with parsley for garnish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Hand-cut Skinny Fries

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

1 pound Cold River Gold potatoes
1⁄2 – 3 Tablespoons canola oil

Directions

You’ll need an air fryer for this one!

Cut potatoes into thin 2-inch strips. Soak cut potatoes in cold water with ice for 30 minutes (this will remove excess starch). Drain well, then pat with a paper towel until very dry.

Place oil and fries into a large mixing bowl and toss for equal distribution. Use at least 1⁄2 Tablespoon oil. For crispier fries, use more oil but do not exceed 3 Tablespoons.

Insert crisper plate in basket and put the basket in unit and preheat by selecting AIR FRY and setting to 390-degrees for 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, add fries on the crisper plate and reinsert basket. Select AIR FRY, set temperature to 390-degrees, and set cook time to 25 minutes.

After 10 minutes, PAUSE cooking. Remove basket from unit and shake or toss fries, then reinsert basket and select continue cooking.

Check fries after 20 minutes. For crispier fries, continue cooking for up to 25 minutes.

When you are satisfied with the crispiness of the fries remove and salt and serve immediately.

For Fancier fries sprinkle fresh herbs after cooking and combine equal parts mayo and ketchup for a dipping sauce.

Chili (For Chili Cheese Fries)

Serves 50 (easily scaled down and well worth it!)

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon oregano
3 Tablespoons sweet paprika
8 Tablespoons mild chili powder
3 Tablespoons hot chili powder
4 Tablespoons cumin
6 Tablespoons beef bouillon (instant crushed) or beef-based paste
48 ounces of spring or mineral water
3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes
7 lbs ground beef
4 large onions, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 ounces vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour or corn flour
Sea salt to taste
1 bunch green onions, diced (for garnish)

Directions

In a large pot of about 48-ounces of water, add oregano, sweet paprika, both kinds of chili powder, cumin, and beef bouillon. Let simmer.

In a separate skillet, brown 2 pounds meat with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil until meat is light brown. Drain and add to simmering spices. Continue until all meat has been browned, drained and added to simmering spices.

Sautée finely chopped onions and garlic in 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Add to spices and meat mixture. Add water as needed. Simmer for 2 hours. Add sugar, coriander, hot sauce, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Dissolve all-purpose flour or corn flour in warm water to make a flowing paste with no lumps. Add flour water to chili and mix well. Add sea salt to taste. Simmer 30 minutes. (For hotter chili, add additional hot sauce to taste.)

Warm desired amount of cheddar cheese sauce to a minimum of 145 ̊ F / 63 ̊ C Warm desired amount of chili to a minimum of 145 ̊ F / 63 ̊ C

Assemble on serving platter in the following order: Cover platter with freshly fried and seasoned french fries. Add desired amount of chili. Ladle cheese sauce on top of fries and chili. Sprinkle with diced green onions for garnish, and serve immediately!

Duchess Potatoes

Serves 30 (easily scaled down and well worth it!)

Ingredients

10 lbs Cold River Gold potatoes
2 lbs (or 4 cups) butter
8 ounces cream (to desired consistency)
8 egg yolks
Approximately 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Peel and cube potatoes to roughly the same size.

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until they’re tender.

While potatoes are cooking, bring butter and cream to a simmer in a saucepan and then remove from heat.

Drain potatoes thoroughly and put through a food mill or into a mixing bowl. Use a paddle on low speed to break up potatoes. Once potatoes are nearly smooth, replace paddle with wire whip and mix on low speed. Add egg yolks one at a time until all 8 yolks are incorporated. Slowly add butter and cream mixture to potatoes until desired consistency is achieved.

Add freshly ground nutmeg, sea salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust nutmeg, sea salt, and pepper as necessary. Increase mixer speed by one number at a time to whip potatoes until light and fluffy.

Serve immediately or hold in steam table at a minimum of 145-degrees F.

BRING COLD RIVER GOLD HOME

Professional chefs have long asked for these potatoes — and now, so can you! Cold River Gold premium potatoes are available at grocery stores throughout Maine:

Look for Cold River Gold in our unique craft paper bags!

COLD RIVER GOLD IN THE NEWS

Our signature chef potatoes have been making headlines for years. Read some of the stories about Cold River Gold and Green Thumb Farms below!