Mayan Twilight Potatoes
IN SEASON

Mayan Twilight Potatoes

Cut to the looks, because that is the whole point of Mayan Twilight. The skin is mottled in red and gold like dusk over a hillside. It is a heritage phureja with the same ancient Andean lineage as Mayan Gold, but where Gold is a roaster, Twilight is a showpiece. Sweeter and a touch waxier, it is built to be boiled gently, sliced to reveal its colour, and dressed with good olive oil and lemon. It also cooks fast, so watch the timing closely.

$12.00 / kilo

A b o u t   M a y a n   T w i l i g h t   P o t a t o e s

Mayan Twilight is the third member of Spud Sisters' Phureja family, alongside Mayan Gold and Andean Sunrise (and the most visually dramatic of the three).

Where Mayan Gold is golden and Andean Sunrise is vivid orange, Mayan Twilight arrives in a skin that looks like a geological cross-section: mottled red and gold, parti-coloured in a pattern that's completely unlike any other potato in the range.

Like its cousins, Mayan Twilight traces its lineage to the wild Phureja potato species of the Andean foothills, varieties that were farmed by the Incas while European agriculture was centuries away from discovering the potato. The Scottish Crop Research Institute developed the Mayan family from these ancient wild species as part of a programme to bring the extraordinary flavour and nutritional profile of Phureja potatoes into varieties suited to modern growing conditions. Mayan Twilight is the result of that work carried furthest in terms of visual distinctiveness, the parti-coloured skin is a characteristic of the Phureja lineage expressed vividly.

The flavour is earthy and rich with the delicate, creamy character that defines the Phureja family. The cook time is, like all Phurejas, significantly shorter than a modern potato, and it's where the most important cooking note lies. Mayan Twilight rewards gentle, attentive cooking: steamed or roasted at the right temperature, it's buttery and smooth. Pushed too hard or too long, the flesh can dry out. This is a variety that asks you to pay attention, and rewards you when you do.

Ancient lineage, strong nutritional credentials

Mayan Twilight / Phureja specific:

Carotenoids

The golden flesh indicates the presence of carotenoids, the antioxidant family found in carrots and sweet potatoes; present at higher levels than standard white-fleshed varieties

Vitamins A and C

Documented in the Phureja variety group; Vitamin A is notably present and unusual in potato varieties

Potassium

Supports healthy blood pressure and cardiovascular function

Dietary fibre

Particularly when eaten skin-on, which is the recommended approach for this variety

Anthocyanins in the red skin areas

The red/pink patches in the parti-coloured skin contain anthocyanins, the same antioxidant family found in blueberries and red cabbage, with associations with anti-inflammatory benefit

Naturally gluten free

Resistant starch

When cooked and cooled (potato salad being the ideal application), resistant starch develops and feeds beneficial gut bacteria

Double antioxidant advantage

Like Laura, Mayan Twilight carries antioxidants in both the red skin areas (anthocyanins) and the golden flesh (carotenoids). Eating it skin-on maximises the benefit of both.

Wild ancestry = nutritional integrity

As with Mayan Gold and Andean Sunrise, the Phureja lineage of Mayan Twilight means it was developed from wild species with nutritional profiles that weren't sacrificed for yield and appearance, the priorities of most modern commercial breeding.

Mayan Twilight's greatest strength is its appearance, the mottled skin makes it the most visually distinctive potato at any market stall or on any plate.

Steam it skin-on and the colour is at its most dramatic; roast it and the skin deepens and crisps while the interior stays creamy. In a salad, the colour makes every other potato salad look underdressed.

The key across all applications is respecting the cook time, Phureja varieties are done significantly faster than modern potatoes, and Mayan Twilight in particular rewards a watchful eye.

The difference between perfectly cooked (creamy, earthy, buttery) and overcooked (dry, disappointing) is a few minutes.

  • Keep the skin on in all preparations it's where the visual character lives, and it's thin enough to eat comfortably.
  • The mottled skin pattern will vary between tubers this is natural and characteristic of the variety.
  • Handle gently before cooking; Phureja varieties are slightly more delicate than modern potatoes.
  • Green tinge: the varied skin colouring can make light-induced greening harder to spot inspect carefully before cooking.

T r u s t e d   b y   A u s t r a l i a ' s   B e s t   C h e f s

 

Our potatoes turn up in restaurant kitchens right across Australia. From Melbourne's fine dining elite, to some of the country's most respected chefs, Spud Sisters are their go to source for gourmet potatoes.

Visually striking, technically reliable and full of flavour, they are grown to a standard a chef can build a dish around.

And here is the good bit... they are the exact same potatoes we send to your door.

There is no separate restaurant supply and no trade only batch. Whatever you are cooking tonight, you are starting with the same quality the professionals reach for. Restaurant results, your kitchen.

W h e r e   t o   b u y   t o n i g h t ?

This is one of those varieties that occasionally appears at good green grocers and farmers markets, but stock is inconsistent and is rarely at supermarkets.

If you need it for a particular recipe or just to wow your friends with a showstopping dinner party dish, ordering ahead is the only way to guarantee it.

Check if Spud Sisters is at a market near you, or order online now for delivery to your door. Our potatoes store well and depending on seasonality can keep for up to 4 weeks, so there's a good reason to have a kilo or two ready before the occasion demands it.

Explore Markets

LOOK AFTER THEM

H o w   t o   s t o r e   y o u r   p o t a t o e s

Cool, dark and dry

A pantry or cupboard away from sunlight is ideal. Light exposure can cause greening and too much warmth accelerates sprouting.

Don’t refrigerate

Cold converts potato starch to sugar, affecting both flavour and texture when cooked. Starchy varieties are specifically sensitive to cold storage - so to keep the crisp and crunch you're looking for - keep them out of the fridge.

No sealed plastic bags

Potatoes need to breathe. The paper bag they arrive in is perfect.

Keep away from onions

Storing onions and potatoes together makes both deteriorate faster.

Shelf life

Fresh potatoes at the start of the season can keep for up to around 4 weeks in ideal conditions.

If it has a green tinge

Greening comes from light exposure and happens to any variety. Cut the green away generously and cook the rest; if it runs throughout, discard it.

When your order arrives

Open the box straight away and move the potatoes somewhere cool and dark. Minor transit marks are normal for fresh produce and don't affect flavour or quality.

C o o k i n g   M e t h o d   &   P r e p a r a t i o n

Mayan Twilight cooks significantly faster than a modern potato.

Unlike standard varieties where you'd expect 20–25 minutes to boil or 60 minutes to roast, Mayan Twilight needs a fraction of that time.

Begin checking for doneness much earlier than instinct suggests.

A skewer should meet just a little resistance when done, take it off the heat immediately.

Overcooking dries the flesh and removes the buttery, earthy quality that makes this variety worth seeking out.

Steaming is the recommended primary cooking method for Mayan Twilight.

It preserves the striking skin colour, retains the most flavour, and is the most forgiving of the fast cook time.

Steam whole or halved for 10–15 minutes depending on size, checking regularly.

Dress immediately while warm, the flesh absorbs olive oil, good butter, or a light vinaigrette while still hot.

Serve skin on to showcase the mottled pattern.

Toss in good olive oil, season well, and roast at 200°C for 20–30 minutes depending on size, significantly shorter than you'd expect.

The mottled skin darkens and takes on character in the oven while the flesh stays creamy inside.

Do not parboil for long periods as with modern starchy varieties, a brief 2–3 minute blanch at most, or skip it entirely for smaller pieces.

Mayan Twilight's shape holding quality and striking skin make it exceptional in a salad.

Steam until just tender, cool briefly, and dress warm.

The parti-coloured skin against the golden flesh makes this the most visually distinctive potato salad in the range.

Pair with Dijon, capers, fresh dill, or a simple herb vinaigrette.

Place whole in a 190°C oven for 35–45 minutes, check at 30 minutes.

The skin crisps slightly while the interior stays smooth and creamy.

A good candidate for a lighter baked potato approach, the flavour is interesting enough that heavy toppings aren't necessary.

The Phureja flesh structure is less dense than modern varieties and disintegrates if boiled aggressively for standard potato cooking times.

Steam is strongly preferred over boiling.

If you do boil, keep it to 8–10 minutes maximum, watch carefully, and drain immediately.

STOCK UP NOW

D o n ' t   g e t   c a u g h t   s h o r t

 

Planning ahead? Order online and have it at your door in a week. Buying a couple of kilos now means you won't get caught short when you want to make a standout potato dish worth talking about.

 
FIND A MARKET
 

Trust us, it's worth ordering before you need it!

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Naturally sustainable

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