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What are the basic facts and history of
the Potato?
The basic facts and history of
the Potato.
Migration and movement
Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes in about
200 BC.
In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, became aware
of the potato, and carried them to Europe.
Before the end of the sixteenth century families of Basque
sailors began to cultivate potatoes along the Biscay coast of
northern Spain.
Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589 near
Cork on the 40,000 acres of land given to him by Queen
Elizabeth I in 1581.
Potatoes arrived in the Colonies in 1621 when the Governor of
Bermuda, Nathaniel Butler, sent two large cedar chests
containing potatoes and other vegetables to Governor Francis
Wyatt of Virginia at Jamestown.
The first permanent potato patches in North America were
established in 1719, most likely near Londonderry (Derry), NH.
King Louis XIV was aided by A. A. Parmentier in the 18th
century, to popularize potatoes in France. Parmentier created a
feast with only potato dishes, a concept he realized was
possible while being imprisoned in Germany and fed only
potatoes. Benjamin Franklin, ambassador to France, was in
attendance of Parmentier's feast in 1767.
Marie Antoinette wife of Louis XV was known to wear potato
blossoms as a hair decoration.
French Fries were introduced to the U.S. when Thomas
Jefferson served them in the White House during his Presidency
of 1801-1809.
Over the years of cultivation in Ireland the potato had become
the major food source to the Irish population. In 1845-46 a
fungus destroyed the potato crops causing the disaster of the
Irish Potato Famine
In October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be
grown in space. NASA and the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, created the technology with the goal of feeding
astronauts on long space voyages, and eventually, feeding future
space colonies.
Potatoes as currency
During the Alaskan Klondike gold rush, (1897-1898) potatoes were
practically worth their weight in gold. Potatoes were so valued for
their vitamin C content that miners traded gold for potatoes.
On the South Atlantic Island of Tristan de Cunha, potatoes were
once used as the country's unofficial currency. Because of it's
remoteness food was most valuable.
Unusual beliefs about potatoes through history
Because the potato was unknown to them, Europeans initially
considered potatoes poisonous or evil due to their similarities to the
nightshade family. Some members of the nightshade family include
Mandrake and Belladonna, which are used for medicinal purposes.
Germany's King Frederick William realized that potatoes were a
good food source and ordered peasants to plant and eat potatoes
or their noses would be cut off.
Interesting uses of potatoes.
The Incas had many uses for potatoes other than dinner:
Raw slices placed on broken bones to promote healing.
Carried to prevent rheumatism
Eaten with other foods to prevent indigestion.
Measured time: by correlating units of time by how long it took for
potatoes to cook.
Various folk remedies recommend using potatoes to:
Treat facial blemishes by washing you face daily with cool potato
juice.
Treat frostbite or sunburn by applying raw grated potato or potato
juice to the affected area.
Help a toothache by carrying a potato in your pocket.
Ease a sore throat by putting a slice of baked potato in a stocking
and tying it around your throat.
Ease aches and pains by rubbing the affected area with the water
potatoes have been boiled in.
French chemist Louis Lumiere used microscopic grains of potato
starch fixed on 9 inch by 12 inch glass plates to create and market
the first autochromes in 1907. Autochromes were widely used in
photography before the development of color film.
Some of the most famous potato dishes we enjoy today were
created by mistake.
Collinet, chef for French King Louis Phillipe (reign 1830-1848)
unintentionally created soufflés (or puffed) potatoes by plunging
already fried potatoes into extremely hot oil to reheat them when
the King arrived late for dinner one night. To the chef's surprise and
the king's delight, the potatoes puffed up like little balloons.
In 1853 railroad magnate Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt
complained that his potatoes were cut too thick and sent them
back to the kitchen at a fashionable resort in Saratoga Springs,
NY. To spite his haughty guest, Chef George Crum sliced some
potatoes paper thin, fried them in hot oil, salted and served them.
To everyone's surprise, Vanderbilt loved his "Saratoga Crunch
Chips," and potato chips have been popular ever since.
Vital statistics on today's potato
Production Facts:
Total U.S. potato area harvested in 1997 was 1.362 million acres
U.S. potato production in 1997 was 459.9 million cwt (cwt=100
pounds)
Percentage by variety, 1997
Reds 6%
Whites 26%
Russets 68%
Usage Facts:
How were they (all varieties) used in 1997
Fresh market 26%
Frozen products (mostly fries) 35%
Potato chips 10%
Dehydrated products 11%
Canned products (soups, stews) 1%
Per Capita Consumption 1997
142.1 pounds (compared to a low of 114.7 pounds in 1980 and 137.9
pounds in 1995)
All statistical information above from United States Department of
Agriculture; Economic Research Service. www.econ.ag.gov
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feel free to e-mail me at: TomThomasFL@hotmail.com
with articles, tips,
etc. Check back with this site often as I will update it as often as I
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