Thanksgiving is all about turkey and stuffing, but one must take the time to commemorate the root crop that has taken many delectable forms on the table.
According to a study by two biologists from the Department of Plant Biology at Ohio State University, today the potato is the fourth most important crop worldwide.
The potato is a tuber, a root plant that grows and develops entirely underground.
In 1532, the Spanish uncovered the potato, which was then spread around the world by what is known as the Columbian Exchange, according to a 2011 article by historian Charles C. Mann in Smithsonian magazine. The potato was born in the Andes in South America, where the high altitude climate is harsh, thus root crops such as the potato were a staple.
During the time, Andean Indians ate potatoes mashed, boiled and baked. They also dried them in the sun and made potato starch, which served for a variety of edible and inedible purposes.
The potato has fed rapidly growing populations and has saved groups from famine. When famine hit Prussia in the mid-18th century, King Frederick the Great ordered his subjects to gorge on potatoes. During the same time, the Potato spread throughout Western Europe as a savior to the poor, also enjoyed by the rich.
The great potato famine in the first half of the 19th century, during which a fungus-like microorganism broke out and killed the plants spread across Western Europe. One million Irish were among those that perished from the widespread loss of the potato, resulting in the flood of Irish immigrants later that century.
The most recognizable variety of potato is the brown Spud, but 5,000 varieties of the potato are now preserved at the International Potato Center in Peru.
According to the USDA, the average-sized potato has around 160 calories and is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and contains a quarter of the daily recommended potassium intake. The carbohydrate-rich potato is still consumed today in Andean diets, giving high altitude populations energy to walk long distances uphill.
The potato by itself is not the tastiest, but it is one of the most adaptable base foods.
Potatoes can be fried, boiled, mashed, smothered in cheese and sauces, baked and baked again. Through a process introduced by the native Andeans, potatoes are soaked in water to create a starch that is then dried, forming a squishy, pliable substance that can be used to create a pasta known as gnocchi, as well as potato dumplings.
No matter how you decide to prepare them, beneath their dry skins, potatoes are simply a-peeling.