The potato is native to the cold mountainous regions of Peru. The earliest evidence dates them back to 2,500 BC. Potatoes are a cool weather crop, growing in climates too cold for grains, making them extremely valuable as an energy food in areas where other starchy vegetables can’t grow. Spanish explorers introduced potatoes to the western world where they quickly became a staple food.
Varieties of potatoes
There are several varieties of the ‘white’ or ‘Irish’ potato. They are the familiar brown skinned potato, the russet, which is a thin skinned potato that is eaten in potato salads, unpeeled. There is the yellow fleshed variety named Klondike Gold.
Potatoes were vital to survival in cooler climates with severe winters. They keep well when properly stored. Farms in the north temperate zone had cool dark cellars where potatoes were a staple for winter survival.
Cooking with potatoes
Potatoes are a versatile vegetable taking on several textures and flavors depending on how they are prepared. They are boiled and served in stews, mashed and served with gravy, pan fried with onions, French fried, baked and served whole with sour cream and chives, made into potato chips, and used in potato salad. Each method of preparation reveals a different character of the ubiquitous potato.
Nutrition in potatoes
Potatoes are a starchy food. However, they provide only 100 calories per serving and are a good source of potassium and fiber. They are a rich source of vitamin C. The nutrition of the potato, except for the starchy calories, are in the skin and the layer a quarter inch (1 cm) under the skin as indicated by the dark ring that can be seen if you cut a potato in half.
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