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Sunday, November 6. 2011

The role of the potato in Western civilization

It's close to being the perfect food, containing pretty much all you need to survive. How the Potato Changed the World - Brought to Europe from the New World by Spanish explorers, the lowly potato gave rise to modern industrial agriculture.


What is "lowly" about the sacred Mashed Potato? asks I. We only grow the pre-mashed varieties at my house, genetically-modified to contain the butter, salt, and cream genes.


The premium varieties of potato, of course, come with a thick rare rib-eye on the side.


(It's remarkable to consider all of the things from the New World which changed the Old World: corn - maize, potato, tomato, syphilis, squash, etc.)




Posted by The Barrister in Food and Drink, History, Our Essays at 14:25 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

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So why are the school busybodies trying to ban the potato from school lunches?

I'm not sure just when the search for the perfect diet to prevent the aging of baby boomers became so ubiquitous, or just what impelled it. But you cannot pick up a magazine or look at a newswebsite without running into a study on what is missing or too prevalent in your diet. The food police keep desperately trying to find something wrong with chocolate and coffee — mainstays of any diet — and someone comes up with the benefits they convey for a longer life. Go figure.
#1 The Elephant's Child (Link) on 2011-11-06 16:10 (Reply)
The noble spud is given its due respect as part of the Columbian Exchange in Charles C. Mann's recent tome "1493"...a SUPERB book that I highly recommend (as I do his "1491").

KBO
#2 Whiskey_Joe on 2011-11-06 18:34 (Reply)
Chocolate. Don't forget chocolate.
#3 class factotum (Link) on 2011-11-06 20:08 (Reply)
You can stay healthy on a diet of just potatoes and milk (tho it might get boring after a while). Spuds are great. We grow them in our back yard, and I just made the most scrumptious Codfish and Potato Chowder for dinner (with milk, butter and cheddar plus onion and garlic, etc.).

We're not big on fries in our household. Mostly baked or mashed potatoes. Or potato soup. Adding a bit of mashed potato when you're making bread adds protein to it, and helps it stay fresh longer.

There's as much Vitamin C in a large potato as in an orange, and a lot more protein and fiber and other nutrients. Potatoes are filling, and just about everyone likes them. If you're going to eat carbs, they're a good choice (much better for you than white flour or sugar).

Oh, and as generations of starving Irish knew (before the Evil Blight) potatoes have the great virtue of being cheap, which is more than certain trendier food items are...
#4 retriever on 2011-11-06 20:53 (Reply)
The Bovines Thank You for the plug.
#4.1 jerry on 2011-11-07 00:06 (Reply)
Damn Incas killed Mary Jo Kopechne.
Let me explain:

Incas domesticated the potato.
The potato failure in Ireland send the Kennedy clan to the U.S.
Ted Kennedy drowned Mary Jo be leaving her to drown.

The logic is inescapable.
When do I get a TV special?
#5 PacRim Jim (Link) on 2011-11-06 20:53 (Reply)

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