Potatoes are a starchy tuber of the plant family Solanaceae and the world's 4th most popular food crop with over 220 million tons produced in 2014. Potatoes may be prepared in many different ways, including as fresh, frozen, boiled, mashed and fried potato.
What is a potato?
The name 'potato' comes from the Spanish word "patata", which means "to parch" or "to dry up". This refers to the practice of accidentally exposing potatoes to sunlight on their leaves or skins so they develop brown spots that protect them from further sun damage.
Did you know that the potato originated from Peru and Ecuador? It journeyed throughout the world and is now a staple food crop in many countries. It is the United States' 4th most important food crop behind corn, rice, and wheat.
when to harvest potatoes?
Potatoes are harvested after anywhere from 80 to 100 days depending on variety. If you buy potatoes that are smaller than they should be, then they will be ready in less time.
potato varieties?
Potatoes come in every possible shade of green and purple. Some of the most popular potato varieties include: Bonne Bouche, Rose, Red Garnet, Maris Piper, Boiling Potatoes (also known as Siberian), and White Rose.
potato history
Potato is a very ancient crop that has been cultivated for thousands of years across the world. The oldest potatoes date back to 3600 BC and have been found in Peru dating back to 750-1300 BC .
potato in Spanish:
patata
potato in German:
wirsing
some potato recipes:
arbys potato cake:
Select the finest baking potatoes. Wash and dry them. Rub the potatoes with milk and salt, cover with buttered paper, and leave to steam over night. Bake one hour in a slow oven. Invert on to a flat dish and brown in hot butter made of equal parts of butter , and serve with browned gravy.
chip and potato:
Select the finest baking potatoes. Wash and dry them. With a peeler, scrape the potatoes thinly, or grate on a coarse grater. Spread on paper and put into a basin with one-third cold water to prevent burning. Put in a slow oven. When they are done, toss hot in melted butter, and serve on folded napkin.
potato fritters:
Select the finest baking potatoes. Scrape roughly, grate or peel into one or two layers. Mix with equal amounts of flour and milk or sour milk; dip in egg and roll in crumbs. Fried brown in oiled pan, drain, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve on fried bread strips with tartar sauce.
potato croquettes:
Boil potatoes until soft enough to mash; add salt to taste; mash dry and work the mixture into small balls about the size of a cherry kernel. shallow fry them in hot fat, Drain, dust with cracker crumbs and sift with grated cheese.
lyonnaise potatoes:
Boil potatoes until soft enough to mash; add salt to taste, work into mixture with a wooden spoon. Divide the mixture into pieces about one inch in diameter, shape them into round cakes and fry in hot fat until brown.
potato salad:
Peel and boil potatoes; drain and cool; peel and slice hard boiled eggs. Arrange these ingredients alternately on bed of crisp lettuce or endive leaves, sprinkling with French dressing made of vinegar, oil and salt mixed with chopped chives or green onions.
4 ingredient potato soup:
* 2 bags frozen broccoli, cauliflower, peas and carrots
* 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 1/4 cup butter
* salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Process with an immersion blender until smooth (or serve chunky if you like!). Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, chopped green onion and minced red onion (optional). DELICIOUS!!!!!!! I made this for my daughter's birthday party at school. She loved it!!
potato soup:
A pot of plain potato soup on a cold winter's day is the height of culinary luxury. This recipe uses elbow macaroni instead of rice and plenty of cheese to put the flavor over the top.
air fryer baked potato:
You will need: * 4 potatoes
* 1/2 cup bacon bits
* 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1 tablespoon dried chives Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and set your air fryer to air fry at 400 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes well, then rub with olive oil. Rub on some garlic and rosemary, then shake on some paprika for a bit of color. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and toss in a separate bowl with the bacon bits, cheese, chives and some salt and t pepper. Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket cut side up and bake until the skin is golden and crisp, about 25 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes.
* if you don't have an air fryer, you can bake these in the oven at 400 degrees with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips...it'll just take a bit longer (30-35 minutes).
well done potato wedges:
Cut potatoes into wedges, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 15 minutes; drain. Dry well with paper towels. Mix 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, then add oil. Pour the oil mixture into a large resealable plastic bag and add the potato wedges; turn to coat potatoes. Seal bag, pressing out excess air; set aside for 20 minutes or longer if time permits. Place only pan in preheated 425° oven for 10 minutes; turn as needed to brown all sides. Drain drippings from pan if desired before serving. Serve with your favorite sauce or ketchup...and a green salad on the side.
* I have an air fryer but I hardly ever use it because it is usually too hot for most cooking...just to warm up my potatoes...so I always use the oven.
how to cook sweet potato in microwave?
cooking sweet potatoes in a microwave is more natural and faster way than conventional cooking. you can cook them in 1/2 of the time when cooking them conventionally. you can cook them in any microwave. it's a very simple process.
cooking sweet potatoes in microwave: * peel the skin of the sweet potatoes * cut small chunks * put into microwave for 5 minutes
* if you want them soft and creamy, put them for 4 minutes, otherwise take out and see if they are cooked from the inside. microwave ovens vary, so you will have to check your potato for doneness.
the above mentioned rule works for other vegetables as well like cubes of pumpkin and carrots with skin on or off...hope this helps!!
can dogs eat potatoes?
Potatoes can be dangerous for dogs to eat. While it's fine for them to nibble on them occasionally, they are in the same family as tomatoes and tomatillos which can be toxic when ingested. Some dogs have allergies for potatoes too and you should know better if your dog is allergic to potatoes or not before feeding him potato. Potatoes contain a starch that gets digested by the body. The starch turns into sugar after ingestion, causing an increase in insulin production by the pancreas which may result in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. What's worse is that dogs may have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and even seizures. As a pet owner, you should be prepared for this side effect and act accordingly.
