Buried Treasure; The Humble Potato

Sept. 19, 2007

The average American eats 142 pounds of them each year. In Eastern Europe, they’re so widely used that they’re known as the “second bread.” One serving of them has only 100 calories and 0 grams of fat. And over a billion people eat them – in fact, they’ve served mankind for a whopping 3,000 years. It’s all quite a bit more than what you might expect from the humble potato.
Although the potato – termed a vegetable by some, a “tuber” by others – is perhaps most readily identifiable today with Ireland and Idaho, their actual earliest origin is thought to be Peru, where the Inca Indians were the first to cultivate potatoes as early as 200 B.C. In the Central Andes, the highland peoples saved their potatoes as a “freeze-dried” preparation called chuno – they spread the potatoes on the ground at night, leaving them to freeze, and, the following day, stomped on them with bare feet to squeeze out the water. This process was repeated for 4 or 5 days, after which the chuno was dried off and stored. When needed, this form of potato softened easily in boiling water, and was easy to use in stews and soups – not quite today’s Potato Buds, but far more convenient than much of the primitive food preparation of those times. Peruvian men also brewed drinks from the potato, one known as Chicha, which is a kind of fermented beverage still consumed today in those regions, and another potent brew called Chakta, which can cause some dizzying side effects.
Perhaps one of those intoxicating drinks were how Spanish Conquistadors first encountered the potato when they conquered Peru in the early 1500’s – they were quick to bring it back to Europe with them. By 1600, the potato’s popularity had spread throughout Europe – Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Holland, France, England, and Switzerland were all enjoying the versatile root vegetable. But it wouldn’t before long before the potato’s fortunes took a turn for the worse. The entire general populace of the mid-17th century suddenly developed a wide suspicion of what they termed as all “root vegetables,” claiming that they caused everything from headaches and dull senses to inflamed blood and leprosy. And the potato was suddenly demoted, having to wait until the 19th century for its triumphant return.
And return it did. In 1806, when an economic embargo was declared in Britain, food production became vital - especially in France, where potato production rose sharply to help feed the masses. King Louis XIV worked to help popularize potatoes in France, collaborating with A.A. Parmentier to create and present a feast with only potato dishes; Benjamin Franklin, ambassador to France at that time, was even in attendance at Parmentier’s feast. The lowly potato was back in vogue, at least for nutrition purposes, and its reputation continued to spread. Popular myth credits Sir Walter Raleigh for introducing Ireland to the potato in 1845, and it spread like wildfire throughout the Emerald Isle. Quite plentiful and a boon to the poor, the potato gradually replaced more costly foodstuffs and became the staple of the underprivileged’s daily diet, so much so that, at one point, the average potato consumption of an adult Irish male was a whopping 10-12 pounds per day.
Perhaps that is why the Potato Famine of 1845-46 hit Ireland so hard. In 1845, two and a half million acres were tilled with potatoes, and the potato appeared on pretty much everyone’s dinner table. By 1847, due to a lethal fungus that decimated a huge portion of the potato crops, that amount had decreased to only 248,000 acres, a symbol of the depressed state of the small country, and yet another contributing reason for the Irish to emigrate en masse to the United States. One consoling morsel of good fortune was that the food they were most familiar with was already there.
Potatoes had by now indeed found their way to the Colonies. Around 1621, the Governor of Bermuda, Nathaniel Butler, had sent two large chests to Governor Francis Wyatt of Virginia as a gift, containing potatoes and other vegetables not yet known to Colonists. Potatoes took the form of French Fries in the U.S. as early as 1801, when President Thomas Jefferson served them in the White House. And potato chips made their debut in 1853 at a posh resort in Saratoga Springs, New York, when railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt sent his potatoes back to the chef, complaining that they were “too thick”. The chef, George Crum, retaliated to the criticism by slicing the potatoes paper-thin and frying them in hot oil; but his attempt at sarcasm backfired - happily - when everyone loved the “Saratoga Crunch Chips.”
Not only in Saratoga Springs, but all across the U.S., Americans continue their penchant for the potato to this day. While only 5th in world production of potatoes (China, the European 15, Russia, and Poland top the list), Americans have perhaps been among the most loyal to the humble potato, whether red, white, russet, or Idaho. America’s French fries (known as “American fries” in Japan) are the legendary other half of the burgers n’ fries meal that has become an American staple. Dozens of varieties of easy-to-prepare boxed versions of potato dishes reside on grocery shelves across the country. In October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in space, thanks to NASA. A popular American toy – Mr. Potato Head – has even been made in tribute to the lowly but popular vegetable. And, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), potato production worldwide has grown faster than any food crop except wheat over the past three decades, with the U.S. making the potato one of its favorite vegetables of all time. Even without much embellishment, the potato itself can be transformed into a variety of dishes, all with their own appeal - from the most basic baked potato with butter, to pan-fried potatoes with a dash of rosemary, to hash browns, shoestring potatoes, broasted potatoes and roasted potatoes, boiled potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and the ever-popular snacks, potato chips and potato skins. Simply adding such additions as roasted garlic, sour cream, blue cheese, bacon, saffron, basil, or perhaps Swiss or Cheddar cheese to mashed or the newly fashionable “smashed” potatoes (a “chunkier” mashed potato, often including the potato skins) makes them a treat. Potatoes even transform well into bread - a good potato bread, with its dusty crust and dense, flavorful, interior, is not only a wonderful accompaniment to soup on a cold day, but is also superb on its own with just a little butter. And, with a little extra work - and a little cultural influence - the potato can rise even further above these already appetizing options.
In France, many of the villagers bring “one-pot” dinners to the village baker’s oven to cook while they attend church on Sunday; usually, a leg of lamb or a chicken is seasoned with balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, thyme, and black pepper, and placed over a savory bed of russet potatoes and onions, resulting in a delicious Potato and Chicken Bake. An Irish favorite matches up potatoes with cabbage and scallions - in the Irish dish known as Colcannon, the potatoes are cut into chunks, placed in a pot, buried under water in scallions and chopped cabbage, and boiled until the potatoes are fork-tender; the mixture is then coarsely mashed with milk, butter, salt, and pepper, making for a modest but flavorsome meal. Latkes, or the classic potato pancakes, are served in Poland with sour cream, chives, and applesauce - and, in Switzerland, a Rösti is their version of the delectable potato pancake, made with boiled potatoes, butter, fresh chives, and Gruyère cheese.
The Italians interpret potatoes best through perhaps their best-known export – pasta. Gnocchi are the Italian pasta made from riced potatoes, flour, salt, and nutmeg, and are dropped into simmering water to cook, served deliciously with melted butter, grated cheese, and a tomato or Pesto sauce. A German version are the light and tender Kartoffelklöse, or potato dumplings, traditionally served with Sauerbraten, and also very good with a roast and gravy. Germany’s potato salad is another delicious option, served warm or even hot, spiced with vinegar, bacon, paprika, dry mustard, and chives – and, back in the States, American cold potato salad is a summertime picnic mainstay, combining potatoes with mayonnaise, celery, mustard, and often such additions as hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, or black olives. The French version of potato salad (also cold) bathes the potatoes in a simple vinaigrette, while the Greek version tosses the chilled potatoes in Tzatziki, a Greek yogurt sauce flavored with cucumber, dill, olive oil, and mint. And, harkening all the way back to the potato’s early beginnings, another delectable dish, combining the cool potatoes with Spanish peanuts, ricotta cheese, jalapeno, onion, and tumeric, makes up the most popular version of potato salad found today in Peru.
Virtually dozens of combinations can be made with this unassuming common potato and a variety of additional ingredients and seasonings. Easily adaptable, nutritious, convenient, tasty, and by turns hearty, soothing, or sophisticated, the potato has overcome its inauspicious beginnings to become perhaps the best-loved, most versatile – but still humble – vegetable around.

Many of the recipes mentioned here can be found in “The All New Joy of Cooking.” Several websites also offer excellent listings of potato recipes, such as www.idahopotato.com or www.foodnetwork.com. And, if it’s Mr. Potato Head you’re looking for, you can find him online and interactive at Have Fun with Mr. Potato Head (http://www.cs.utk.edu/~ffowler/javahtml/potato/Potato.html) or via Mr. Potato Head’s toy company,
www.hasbro.com.