Bonnotte de Noirmoutier – Wikipedia

Bonnotte
Type	consumption
Obtaining	traditional variety
Pays	France
Maturity	early
Culinary group	A
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The bonnotte (sometimes spelled “Bonote”, “Bonotte” or “Bonnote”) is a variety of early potatoes, specialty of the island of Noirmoutier (France). She is part with Sirtema ^{[ first ]} , Lady Christl ^{[ 2 ]} and Charlotte, varieties cultivated for the production of early potatoes by the Noirmoutier agricultural cooperative ^{[ 3 ]} . This traditional old variety is registered under the name of “Bonnotte de Noirmoutier” on list C (conservation varieties) of the official French catalog of species and varieties since June 24, 2012. Its maintenance (conservative selection) is provided by the National Federation Producers of potato plants (FNPPPT) ^{[ 4 ] , [ 5 ]} .

Even if the Bonnotte has made the reputation of Noirmoutier since its introduction on the island in the years 1920-1930 (at that time, it was called “Bounotte”, “Bonnette” or “Bonnet”), this variety is actually Originally from Barfleur in the Manche department. However, too fragile and demanding to be harvested manually, it does not support the effects of mechanization introduced in the 1960s and used for other varieties of potatoes. Its large-scale production being deemed not profitable, it is therefore stopped. There is then the Bonnotte that cultivated in some island gardens.

Thirty years later, thanks to the research carried out by the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), the species is regenerated and again marketed in 1995 as a product of call for the “Agricultural Cooperative of Noirmoutier”, even if it currently represents less than 1% of its activity (be 5 hectares out of the 550 dedicated to the production of potatoes on the island which represents a total of 13,000 tonnes) ^{[ 6 ] , [ 7 ]} .

Small caliber, round, with firm and tender flesh, keeping only a few days, it is cultivated in a very sandy land, enriched with the Goémon, gathered in parallel mounds of 70 cm Large, unique soil profiling technique, called “Billon”, to warm and drain the soil and give maximum ventilation to tubers ^{[ 8 ]} . It is harvested before maturity at 90 days, generally among the first marketed of the year, in early May, thanks to the island’s micro-climate (Gulf Stream), the Bonnotte is fragile, picked up by hand and its production is difficult to exceed The hundred tonnes.

The first harvests are sometimes sold at auction and can reach prohibitive prices: April 20, 1996, during an auction at the Drouot hotel in Paris, a lot of 5 kg de Bonnottes was bought by an individual at a price of 15,000 francs (or 500 € € the kilogram) ^{[ 9 ]} . In 2011, even if the price of this potato of choice normalized between 5 and 6 euros per kg ^{[ ten ]} , it remains the most expensive on the market. In 2012, it sold more than 7 euros for 25 tubers. Quick exhausted, she already reserves for the 2013 harvest ^{[ 11 ]} .

Bonnotte usually sells for the second week of May. In order to keep its iodized taste, do not cook it too much. It goes very well with crustaceans, fish or with meat in salt.

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