
The potato (''Solanum tuberosum'') is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. Potatoes form the world's most important non-cereal crop, and grow world-wide. Growers cultivate thousands of different varieties of potato. The potato has only a very distant relationship with the sweet potato. In areas of the United States where sweet potatoes grow commonly, people sometimes refer to the "Irish potato" to distinguish the two, a reference to the widespread cultivation of potatoes in Ireland in the 19th century. ==Naming of the potato== In the 16th century, the Spaniards introduced potatoes to Europe. The name "potato" came from the Spanish language word "patata" (the original Quechua word appears as "papa"). Many other European languages took forms of this Spanish name, but popular alternatives exist in English, such as ''spuds'', ''murphies'', ''taters'', or ''taties''. In the Americas, Spanish-speakers use the word "papa" more commonly than "patata". Interestingly, French language-speakers call the potato ''pomme de terre'', meaning literally "apple of earth". (Dutch language-speakers use the similar term ''Aardappel''.) == History == Scientists believe that the potato plant originally came from the Andes. Pre-Columbian societies of this region (pre-cursors of the Inca civilization) cultivated it originally, and it spread over time to other Native American groups and became a staple food in some areas. Popular legend has long credited Sir Walter Raleigh with first bringing the potato to England, but history suggests Sir Francis Drake as a more likely candidate. In 1586, after battling the Spaniards in the Caribbean, Drake stopped at Cartagena, Colombia in Colombia to collect provisions — including tobacco and potato tubers. Before returning to England he stopped at Roanoke Island, where the first English settlers had attempted to set up a colony. The pioneers returned to England with Drake, along with the potatoes. Agriculturalists soon found potatoes easier to grow and cultivate than other staple crops, such as wheat and oats; potatoes produce more food energy than any other European crop for the same area of land and require only a shovel for harvesting. For all these reasons potatoes became, by 1650, the staple food of Ireland, and they began to replace wheat as the major crop elsewhere in Europe, being used to feed both people and animals. The first mention of potatoes appearing in North America comes from Irish settlers in Londonderry, New Hampshire during 1719. By the end of the 18th century the potato had become popular in France, due to the advocacy of Parmentier , an employee of King Louis XV. Today, potatoes grow widely in Europe, especially in North European Plain countries such as Germany, Poland, and Russia, due to their ability to thrive in cold, damp climates. The potato became such an important food for the Irish that the popular imagination automatically associates it with them today, but its early history in Ireland remains obscure. One speculation has it that the potato may have originally arrived in Ireland washed ashore from wrecked galleons of the Spanish Armada (1588). Another story credits the introduction of the potato in Ireland to Sir Walter Raleigh, who did finance transatlantic expeditions, at least one of which made landfall at Smerwick, County Kerry in October, 1587, but no record survives of what botanical specimens it may have carried or whether they thrived in Ireland. Some stories say that Sir Walter first planted the potato on his estate near Cork. A 1699 source (over one century after the event) says 'The potato .... Was brought first out of Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh, and he stopping at Ireland, some was planted there, where it thrived well and to good purpose, for in three succeeding wars, when all the corn above ground was destroyed, this supported them; for the soldiers, unless they had dug up all the ground where they grew, and almost sifted it, could not extirpate them.' [http://www.finnvalley.ie/irelandsown/spuds/potato.html]. Whatever the source, the potato became popular in Ireland both because of its high productivity and because of the advantages of both growth and storage hidden underground. English landlords also encouraged potato-growing by Irish tenants because they wanted to produce more wheat — if the Irish could survive on a crop that took less land, that would free a greater area for wheat production. A single devastating event however, looms large in the Irish history of potatoes — the Irish potato famine. In the 1840s a major outbreak of potato blight swept through Europe, wiping out the potato crop in many countries. The Irish economy dependended so heavily on a single variety of potatoes — the unpalatable but fertile 'lumper' — that the famine led to almost a million deaths, and the subsequent emigration of millions more Irish (see Irish diaspora). Emigration of Germans also grew, although the German states did not suffer the mass starvation that occurred in Ireland. By the seventeenth century the potato had become firmly established as a staple of Europe's poor, leading richer people to spurn it, although this changed gradually, with Parmentier 's persuading King Louis XVI of France of the value of the crop. The soup ''potage Parmentier'' takes its name from the great horticulturalist. In Russia, potatoes met with initial suspicion: the people called them "the Devil's apples" because of folklore surrounding things which grow underground or which have associations with dirt. == Varieties == [[Image:Potato harvesting by Carl Larsson (1853-1919).jpg|thumb|float|right|300px|"Potato harvesting" by the Sweden painter Carl Larsson (1853–1919)]] Potatoes' skins come in the colors brown, yellow, pink, red, and purple (sometimes called "blue"). Their flesh may appear white or may reflect the color of the skin. The market calls small types "fingerlings" or "new" potatoes, larger potatoes may class as "earlies" or "main crop", with the "main crop" referring to varieties that will store well. Individual varieties may be labeled "boiling", indicating that they retain some shape when boiled, "baking", indicating that they only hold their shape if baked, "roasting", indicating that they are flavoursome when roasted, "salad" to indicate suitability for salad use (often firm and waxy fleshed when boiled), or "mashing" to indicate that when mashed they form a smooth consistency, neither fibrous nor grainy. Common North American potato varieties include: *''Burbank Russet'' — large, brown skin, white-fleshed, developed by Luther Burbank *''Yellow Finn'' — small, with yellow skin and flesh *''Red Gold'' — red skin, yellow flesh *''German Butterball'' — a yellow fleshed small oval potato. Won first place in Rodale's Organic Gardening "Taste Off" *''Yukon Gold'' — yellow skin and flesh In the United States the term "Idaho potato" is often used, but does not denote a variety, but simply an origin in Idaho, that country's principal potato-growing region. Common British potato varieties include: *''Maris Piper'' — a good general purpose white main crop potato, not suitable for salads. The favourite potato of chip shops *''King Edward'' — the best roasting potato, often served with the Sunday roast, white main crop *''Desiree'' — a red skinned main crop potato, a favourite with allotment (gardening) holders because of disease resistance *''International Kidney'' — trademarked as ''Jersey Royal'', a salad new potato, grown on the island of Jersey and in Spain *''Pink Fir Apple'' — a pink-skinned salad potato which grows in irregular shapes *''Golden Wonder'' — famous Scottish frying potato used to make the eponymous potato chips *''Kerrs Pinks'': bred in Northern Ireland: an excellent potato for boiling. [[Image:Peruvian_potatoes.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Incas cultivated around 200 different kinds of Peruvian potatoes]] Common French varieties include *''Amandine'' - a variety of early potato, descended from the varieties Charlotte and Mariana. Bred in Brittany, France, it entered the national list of potato varieties in 1994. Amandine shaws typically produce long tubers with very pale, unblemished skin. Their flesh, firm and also very pale, contains comparatively little starch. Amandine potatoes have become popular in Switzerland. Other varieties include: * Jersey benies * Red kings Countries such as Peru, the native area of origin for potatoes, can offer a much wider range of varieties. == Food value == Potatoes have a high carbohydrate content and include protein, minerals (particularly potassium, calcium), and vitamins, including vitamin C. Freshly harvested potatoes retain more vitamin C than stored potatoes. A benefit of new and fingerling potatoes is that they contain less toxic chemicals. Such potatoes are an excellent source of nutrition. Peeled, long-stored potatoes have less nutritional value, especially when fried, although they still have potassium and vitamin C. Potatoes also provide starch, flour, alcohol (when fermented), dextrin, and livestock fodder. == Cooking == Cooks and chefs can prepare potatoes for eating in numerous ways: either with their skin on or peeled, whole or cut into pieces, and with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking — to break down the starch and make them edible. Most end-consumers eat potatoes hot, but several basic potato recipes involve cooking the potatoes and then eating them cold — potato salad and potato chipss (called "potato chips" in some places, such as the U.S.). One of the most common presentation methods involves mashed potato: peeling, boiling, then mashing and mixing with butter, cream, or other seasonings before serving. Mashed potatoes form a major component of several traditional dishes from the British Isles such as shepherd's pie, bubble and squeak, and the 'tatties' which accompany haggis. Other presentations or dishes may see potatoes baked potato whole; boiling potatoes; steaming potatoes; cut into cubes and roast potatoes; diced or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes; and cut into long, thin pieces and fried or baked (French fries, traditionally called "French fries" in the U.S.). Potatoes also serve to make a type of pasta called gnocchi. Potatoes form one of the main ingredients in many soups such as the pseudo-French vichyssoise and Albanian potato and cabbage soup. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. == Toxic compounds in potatoes == Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, toxic compounds, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 degrees C) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids occur in the greatest concentrations just underneath the skin of the tuber, and they increase with age and exposure to light. Glycoalkaloids may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps and in severe cases coma and death; however, poisoning from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure also causes greening, thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep solanine levels below 0.2 mg/g (200 ppm). However, when even these commercial varieties turn green, they can approach concentrations of solanine of 1 mg/g (1000 ppm). Some studies suggest that 200 mg of solanine can constitute a dangerous dose. This dose would require eating 1 average-sized spoiled potato or 4 to 9 good potatoes (over 3 pounds) at one time. The National Toxicology Program suggests that the average American consumes 12.5 mg/person/day of solanine from potatoes. Dr. Douglas L. Holt, the State Extension Specialist for Food Safety at the University of Missouri - Columbia, notes that no reported cases of potato-source solanine poisoning have occurred in the U.S. in the last 50 years and most cases involved eating green potatoes or drinking potato-leaf tea. ==Potato Fruits== After potatoes flower some varieties will produce little green fruits similar to green cherry tomato es. These produce seeds like other fruits. Insects can cross-pollinate the flowers of different potato plants. Each of the fruits can contain up to 300 true seeds, and every seed will differ genetically from its fellows One can separate the seeds from the fruits by putting them in a blender on a slow speed with some water, then leaving them in water for a day so that the seeds will sink and the rest of the fruit will float. Warning: do not eat the fruits - they contain poisons. (Note that potatoes belong to the same family as deadly nightshade.[http://www.selfsufficientish.com/potatoes.htm]) == Cultivation == [[Image:Potato beetle larvae.jpg|left|framed|Colorado potato beetle larvae]] Potato plants have a low-growing habit and bear white flowers with yellow stamens. They grow best in cool climates with good rainfall or irrigation such as Maine, Idaho, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Belarus, Germany, Poland, and Russia. But they adapt readily, and producers grow them, at least on a small scale, in most temperate regions. Buds called "eyes" appear on the surface of potato tubers. Since common varieties of potatoes do not produce seeds (they bear sterile flowers), propagation occurs by planting pieces of existing tubers, cut to include at least one eye. Confusingly, these pieces can bear the name "seed potatoes". The haulm or shaw of the potato plant may wither if early harvesting does not occur.
==Practical tips originally from the 1881 ''Household Cyclopedia''== === Ground Preparation === Reducing the ground until completely free from root-weeds helps in potato husbandry; though in many seasons one cannot complete these operations without losing the proper time for planting, which never ought to come after the first of May, if circumstances do not absolutely interdict it. In most cases the land requires three ploughings, with frequent harrowings and rollings, before reaches a suitable condition. When ready form the drills as if for turnips; cart the manure and apply it generously, plant the seed above the manure, reverse the drills for covering it and the seed, then harrow the drills in length, which completes the preparation and seed process. === Seed Quantity === Cutting the seed into small slips does not provide any advantage, for the strength of the stem at the outset depends in direct proportion upon the vigor and power of the seed-plant. Accordingly, make the seed plant large, rarely smaller than the fourth-part of the potato; and in the case of small seed-potatoes one may profitably use half of the potato. At all events, rather err in using over-large seed than in making it too small; because, by the first error, no great loss can ever be sustained; whereas, by the other, a feeble and late crop may result. With properly cut seed, it requires from ten to twelve hundredweight of potatoes to plant an acre (1.2 to 1.5 t/ha) of ground, where the rows lie twenty-seven inches (700 mm) apart; but this quantity depends greatly upon the size of the potatoes used; large potatoes may require a greater weight, but the extra quantity will abundantly pay off in the superiority of the crop which large seed usually produces. === Raising Methods === [[Image:Potato blossom.JPG|left|framed|Potato blossom
Hemingway, South Carolina]] Cultivation should go twelve inches deep, if the soil will allow it; after this, the gardener should open a hole (about six inches (150 mm) deep and not more than twelve inches (300 mm) in diameter) and place horse-dung or long litter therein, about three inches (75 mm) thick. Upon this dung or litter plant a potato whole, shake a little more dung over it, and then cover with earth. Plant the whole plot of ground in like manner, taking care to keep the potatoes at least sixteen inches apart. When the young shoots make their appearance they should have fresh mould drawn around them with a hoe; cover the tender shoots to prevent the frost from injuring them; and earth them (but do not cover them) when the shoots make a second appearance, as in all probability the season will become less severe. Provide a plentiful supply of mould, taking care never to tread upon the plant, or upon the hillock raised round it, as the looser the earth the more room the potato will have to expand. A gentleman obtained from a single root, thus planted, very nearly forty pounds weight of large potatoes, and from almost every other root upon the same plot of ground from fifteen to twenty pounds weight; and, unless in stony or gravelly soil, ten pounds or half a peck of potatoes may generally result from each root by pursuing the foregoing method. But note: cuttings or small sets will not do for this purpose. [[image:Tractors in Potato Field.jpg|250px|thumb|Potato field
Fort Fairfield, Maine]] === Harvesting === At harvest time, workers generally dig up potatoes with a three-prong grape or fork, but at other times, in dry weather, the plough can serve as the most expeditious implement for unearthing potatoes. After gathering the interval, break and separate the furrow taken by the plough, thus gathering the crop more completely than when taken up by the grape. === Storing === Store up potatoes for winter and spring use; and as one should keep them as long through summer as possible, make every endeavor to preserve them from frost, and from sprouting in the spring months. For frost protection, cover them well with straw when lodged in a house, and by a thick coat of earth when deposited in a pit; to prevent sprouting, pick them carefully at different times, when they begin to sprout, and dry them sufficiently by exposure to the sun, or by a gentle toast of a kiln. === Cultivation in Ireland === Baron Farnham, in a letter to Sir John Sinclair, particularly recommends the drill system in the cultivation of potatoes in Ireland. The small farmers and laborers plant them in lazy-beds, eight feet wide. They do so on account of the want of necessary implements for practising the drill system, together with a want of horses for the same purpose. Planting personnel cut the potatoes into sets, three from a large potato; and each set to contain at least one eye. The sets are planted at the distance of seven inches apart, six and a quarter hundredweight are considered sufficient seed for a British acre. Lord Farnham recommends rotten dung in preference to any fresh dung - if not procurable, horse-dung, hot from the dunghill. In any soil he would recommend the dung below the seed. When the potato plants reach a height of ten inches above the surface, introduce the scuffler and cast the mold from the potato. Hand-hoe any weeds found in the drills; three days afterwards mould them up by the double-breasted plough, as high as the neck of the potato. Practise this mode twice, or in some cases three times, particularly if growing potatoes on foul land. I do not (says Lord Farnham) consider any mode so good as the drill system. === General Observations === To prepare either oat or wheat stubble for the drill system, plough in October or at the beginning of November; plough deeply and lay up for winter dry. In March harrow the ground and give it three clean earths. Thoroughly eradicate the couchgrass . Use drills three feet apart; drill deep the first time, giving room in the bottom of the furrow to contain the dung. The best time to begin planting the potatoes occurs about the end of April by this system. It prepares as well for wheat as the best fallows. Three feet and a half for drills does better than four feet. Mr. Curwen prefers four feet and a half. He claims immense productivity. One should cut potatoes at least from two to three weeks before planting; and if planted very early whole potatoes do better than cut ones. Dung under and over. Some agriculturists lately pay much attention to raising seedling potatoes, with the hope of renewing the vigor of the plant. One can produce early potatoes in great quantity by resetting the plants, after taking off the ripe and large ones. A gentleman at Dumfries has replanted them six different times in one season, without any additional manure; and, instead of their falling off in quantity, he gets a larger crop of ripe ones at every raising than the former ones. His plants have still on them three distinct crops, and he supposes they may still continue to vegetate and germinate until the frost stops them. By this means he has a new crop every eight days, and has had so for a length of time. == References and external links == * Reference for potato history: ''The Vegetable Ingredients Cookbook'' by Christine Ingram, Lorenz Books, 1996 ISBN 1859672647 * ''The History and Social Influence of the Potato'' by Redcliffe N. Salaman ISBN 0521316235 * [http://www.kallipolis.com/diet/food.php?id=11674&w=1 Potato nutrition facts] *Hamilton, Andy & Dave, (2004), [http://www.selfsufficientish.com/potatoes.htm Potatoes - Solanum tuberosums] retrieved on 4 May 2005 Potatoes mg:Ovy simple:Potato
== Cold chips == "Potatoes are generally eaten hot, but several basic potato recipes involve cooking the potatoes and then eating them cold - potato salad and potato chips" I would not want to eat cold chips! I think you mean crisps Potato "chips" is the equivalent of British "crisps" in America. == Misconception == A common misconception is that potatoes are vegetables. Their actual classification has yet to be known == Raleigh == Raleigh was in Venezuela... He may not have imported the potato into England, but he was certainly in South America...User:Wetman 22:46, 20 Dec 2003 (UTC) ::Absolutely right. I do not have the Raleigh info at my fingertips, but he certainly went to South America. I removed the erroneous phrase, but the statement now looks awkward. I will look up the details in the next couple of days if no one gets to it first. User:WormRunner 23:18, 20 Dec 2003 (UTC) == harvesting == Is there more info on the harvesting of potatoes? =="Irish Potato"== :''The potato is unrelated to the sweet potato. In the United States it is sometimes referred to as the "Irish Potato" to distinguish it.'' It would be good to state where in the U.S. this usage occurs, as it surely doesn't in California. --User:Yath 08:10, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC) :I don't believe it is locality-specific so much as an older usage. I have certainly heard the expression used in Oregon, but not by the younger people. I am quite certain, from people I know, that it has been used in California as well. The great Irish Immigration is no longer part of the national consciousness. User:WormRunner | User talk:WormRunner 01:43, 5 Aug 2004 (UTC) Irish-born American, lived all over the USA and I've never heard the common potato referred to as the "Irish potato". I think this is just a joke about the Irish someone slipped in, and should be deleted. User:oiguvnuh :White potatoes are definitely "Irish Potatoes" (actually more like "Arsh" potatoes) in South Carolina, where sweet potatoes are the norm. 03:05, Mar 8, 2005 (UTC) I think it shows up in ''The Joy of Cooking'' which is a fairly authoritative source about American food. User:FreplySpang 21:09, 8 Mar 2005 (UTC) People in my parents generation (My mother is 88) used the term "Irish Potato" all the time. It is no longer commonly used, at least in Oregon, but it was. I have heard it used (as a child) by my parents, my grandparents, and by family friends. I have not heard it used by one of my contemporaries (I am 54) in the last 30 years anyway, but my mother still uses it. -- User:WormRunner | User talk:WormRunner 17:54, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC) I second listing regions that use the term "Irish potato". I've never heard that name, as most people around here (southeastern Illinois) simply call them potatoes, while sweet potatoes are always called sweet potatoes. I haven't heard it used in southwestern Indiana, either (I often visit Terre Haute, Indiana and Vincennes, Indiana). What is the state of origin of the author(s) of ''The Joy of Cooking''? --User:Evice 10:09, Mar 21, 2005 (UTC) ==Weird Grammar== "To reduce the ground till it is completely free from root-weeds, may be considered as a desiderutum in potato husbandry; though in many seasons these operations cannot be perfectly executed, without losing the proper time for planting, which never ought to be beyond the first of May, if circumstances do not absolutely interdict it. Three ploughings, with frequent harrowings and rollings, are necessary in most cases before the land is in suitable condition. " Normally this is the sort of thing I'd correct grammar on. However, in this case I can't figure out what the hell it's saying. Would anyone be so kind as to translate this into English? BTW as a side note, I've never heard the 'Irish Potato' thing from anyone of any age, and I'm in Portland. :"To grow potatoes you should till the ground to remove weeds; but in many seasons the ground cannot be tilled before the first of May, the ideal time for planting as far as circumstances allow. The ground should be ploughed three times (with frequent harrowings and rollings, whatever those are :)) before the ground is suitable for planting." (Or something! :)) User:Adam Bishop 04:00, 9 Sep 2004 (UTC) ::The formatting made it unclear that the text was from an 1881 reference work. Since it's a quotation, it shouldn't be corrected! I have created a new section heading to clarify that the text is a quotation. User:Tomgally 11:24, 4 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Chitting== I'm quite surprised anyone has written about cultivation of potatoes without any mention of [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=potato+chitting&btnG=Search Chitting] User:William Avery 19:18, 19 Oct 2004 (UTC) Potatoes are tastey! - Annonomous ==Potato Beetle== Why is there a picture of potato beetles on the page? It's a nice picture, but the article doesn't mention them and I think it might be a mistake. Do they eat potatoes, or just leaves? Have I missed something? Am I evil? Yes I am.User:Ashley Pomeroy 13:49, 23 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Synonyms== Why no mention of tatties or spuds? User:Bovlb 04:25, 2005 Jan 12 (UTC) ==Genetic Diversity== Genetic diversity of the potato in the Andes, demonstrating its homeland, hasn't been handled yet and needs a subsection. Google: "genetic diversity potato Andes" for a start! --User:Wetman 10:30, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC) Have tried to touch on it and still have it in keeping with this article as genetic diversity comes from cross polination of the plant and the production of fruits, see potato fruits. User:Andham2000 12:25, 4 May 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
Words begining with Potato:
Potato
Potato
Potatoe
Potatoe
Potatoe56
Potatoeman57
Potatoeman57
Potatoes
Potatoes
Potatoes_and_dragons
Potatoes_For_Christmas
Potatoes_for_Christmas
Potatoes_for_Christmas
Potatoe_salad
Potatojunkie
PotatoOfCouch
PotatoOfCouch
Potatophone
Potatos
Potatosalad
Potatosalad
Potatoscone
Potato_bean
Potato_blight
Potato_bread
Potato_bread
Potato_bug
Potato_cannon
Potato_chip
Potato_chips
Potato_chips
Potato_Creek_State_Park
Potato_crisp
Potato_dextrose_broth
Potato_dishes
Potato_Famine
Potato_famine
Potato_farl
Potato_farls
Potato_fungus
Potato_gun
Potato_head
Potato_Head_Blues
Potato_launcher
Potato_masher
Potato_omelette
Potato_pancake
Potato_pancakes
Potato_pancakes
Potato_peeler
Potato_Pretender
Potato_ricer
Potato_Salad
Potato_salad
Potato_spindle_tuber_viroid
Potato_spindle_tuber_viroid
Potato_summit
Potato_vine
Potato_vine
Potato_War
Potato
The potato (''Solanum tuberosum'') is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. Potatoes form the world's most important non-cereal crop, and grow world-wide. Growers cultivate thousands of different varieties of potato. The potato has only a very distant relationship with the sweet potato. In areas of the United States where sweet potatoes grow commonly, people sometimes refer to the "Irish potato" to distinguish the two, a reference to the widespread cultivation of potatoes in Ireland in the 19th century. ==Naming of the potato== In the 16th century, the Spaniards introduced potatoes to Europe. The name "potato" came from the Spanish language word "patata" (the original Quechua word appears as "papa"). Many other European languages took forms of this Spanish name, but popular alternatives exist in English, such as ''spuds'', ''murphies'', ''taters'', or ''taties''. In the Americas, Spanish-speakers use the word "papa" more commonly than "patata". Interestingly, French language-speakers call the potato ''pomme de terre'', meaning literally "apple of earth". (Dutch language-speakers use the similar term ''Aardappel''.) == History == Scientists believe that the potato plant originally came from the Andes. Pre-Columbian societies of this region (pre-cursors of the Inca civilization) cultivated it originally, and it spread over time to other Native American groups and became a staple food in some areas. Popular legend has long credited Sir Walter Raleigh with first bringing the potato to England, but history suggests Sir Francis Drake as a more likely candidate. In 1586, after battling the Spaniards in the Caribbean, Drake stopped at Cartagena, Colombia in Colombia to collect provisions — including tobacco and potato tubers. Before returning to England he stopped at Roanoke Island, where the first English settlers had attempted to set up a colony. The pioneers returned to England with Drake, along with the potatoes. Agriculturalists soon found potatoes easier to grow and cultivate than other staple crops, such as wheat and oats; potatoes produce more food energy than any other European crop for the same area of land and require only a shovel for harvesting. For all these reasons potatoes became, by 1650, the staple food of Ireland, and they began to replace wheat as the major crop elsewhere in Europe, being used to feed both people and animals. The first mention of potatoes appearing in North America comes from Irish settlers in Londonderry, New Hampshire during 1719. By the end of the 18th century the potato had become popular in France, due to the advocacy of Parmentier , an employee of King Louis XV. Today, potatoes grow widely in Europe, especially in North European Plain countries such as Germany, Poland, and Russia, due to their ability to thrive in cold, damp climates. The potato became such an important food for the Irish that the popular imagination automatically associates it with them today, but its early history in Ireland remains obscure. One speculation has it that the potato may have originally arrived in Ireland washed ashore from wrecked galleons of the Spanish Armada (1588). Another story credits the introduction of the potato in Ireland to Sir Walter Raleigh, who did finance transatlantic expeditions, at least one of which made landfall at Smerwick, County Kerry in October, 1587, but no record survives of what botanical specimens it may have carried or whether they thrived in Ireland. Some stories say that Sir Walter first planted the potato on his estate near Cork. A 1699 source (over one century after the event) says 'The potato .... Was brought first out of Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh, and he stopping at Ireland, some was planted there, where it thrived well and to good purpose, for in three succeeding wars, when all the corn above ground was destroyed, this supported them; for the soldiers, unless they had dug up all the ground where they grew, and almost sifted it, could not extirpate them.' [http://www.finnvalley.ie/irelandsown/spuds/potato.html]. Whatever the source, the potato became popular in Ireland both because of its high productivity and because of the advantages of both growth and storage hidden underground. English landlords also encouraged potato-growing by Irish tenants because they wanted to produce more wheat — if the Irish could survive on a crop that took less land, that would free a greater area for wheat production. A single devastating event however, looms large in the Irish history of potatoes — the Irish potato famine. In the 1840s a major outbreak of potato blight swept through Europe, wiping out the potato crop in many countries. The Irish economy dependended so heavily on a single variety of potatoes — the unpalatable but fertile 'lumper' — that the famine led to almost a million deaths, and the subsequent emigration of millions more Irish (see Irish diaspora). Emigration of Germans also grew, although the German states did not suffer the mass starvation that occurred in Ireland. By the seventeenth century the potato had become firmly established as a staple of Europe's poor, leading richer people to spurn it, although this changed gradually, with Parmentier 's persuading King Louis XVI of France of the value of the crop. The soup ''potage Parmentier'' takes its name from the great horticulturalist. In Russia, potatoes met with initial suspicion: the people called them "the Devil's apples" because of folklore surrounding things which grow underground or which have associations with dirt. == Varieties == [[Image:Potato harvesting by Carl Larsson (1853-1919).jpg|thumb|float|right|300px|"Potato harvesting" by the Sweden painter Carl Larsson (1853–1919)]] Potatoes' skins come in the colors brown, yellow, pink, red, and purple (sometimes called "blue"). Their flesh may appear white or may reflect the color of the skin. The market calls small types "fingerlings" or "new" potatoes, larger potatoes may class as "earlies" or "main crop", with the "main crop" referring to varieties that will store well. Individual varieties may be labeled "boiling", indicating that they retain some shape when boiled, "baking", indicating that they only hold their shape if baked, "roasting", indicating that they are flavoursome when roasted, "salad" to indicate suitability for salad use (often firm and waxy fleshed when boiled), or "mashing" to indicate that when mashed they form a smooth consistency, neither fibrous nor grainy. Common North American potato varieties include: *''Burbank Russet'' — large, brown skin, white-fleshed, developed by Luther Burbank *''Yellow Finn'' — small, with yellow skin and flesh *''Red Gold'' — red skin, yellow flesh *''German Butterball'' — a yellow fleshed small oval potato. Won first place in Rodale's Organic Gardening "Taste Off" *''Yukon Gold'' — yellow skin and flesh In the United States the term "Idaho potato" is often used, but does not denote a variety, but simply an origin in Idaho, that country's principal potato-growing region. Common British potato varieties include: *''Maris Piper'' — a good general purpose white main crop potato, not suitable for salads. The favourite potato of chip shops *''King Edward'' — the best roasting potato, often served with the Sunday roast, white main crop *''Desiree'' — a red skinned main crop potato, a favourite with allotment (gardening) holders because of disease resistance *''International Kidney'' — trademarked as ''Jersey Royal'', a salad new potato, grown on the island of Jersey and in Spain *''Pink Fir Apple'' — a pink-skinned salad potato which grows in irregular shapes *''Golden Wonder'' — famous Scottish frying potato used to make the eponymous potato chips *''Kerrs Pinks'': bred in Northern Ireland: an excellent potato for boiling. [[Image:Peruvian_potatoes.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Incas cultivated around 200 different kinds of Peruvian potatoes]] Common French varieties include *''Amandine'' - a variety of early potato, descended from the varieties Charlotte and Mariana. Bred in Brittany, France, it entered the national list of potato varieties in 1994. Amandine shaws typically produce long tubers with very pale, unblemished skin. Their flesh, firm and also very pale, contains comparatively little starch. Amandine potatoes have become popular in Switzerland. Other varieties include: * Jersey benies * Red kings Countries such as Peru, the native area of origin for potatoes, can offer a much wider range of varieties. == Food value == Potatoes have a high carbohydrate content and include protein, minerals (particularly potassium, calcium), and vitamins, including vitamin C. Freshly harvested potatoes retain more vitamin C than stored potatoes. A benefit of new and fingerling potatoes is that they contain less toxic chemicals. Such potatoes are an excellent source of nutrition. Peeled, long-stored potatoes have less nutritional value, especially when fried, although they still have potassium and vitamin C. Potatoes also provide starch, flour, alcohol (when fermented), dextrin, and livestock fodder. == Cooking == Cooks and chefs can prepare potatoes for eating in numerous ways: either with their skin on or peeled, whole or cut into pieces, and with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking — to break down the starch and make them edible. Most end-consumers eat potatoes hot, but several basic potato recipes involve cooking the potatoes and then eating them cold — potato salad and potato chipss (called "potato chips" in some places, such as the U.S.). One of the most common presentation methods involves mashed potato: peeling, boiling, then mashing and mixing with butter, cream, or other seasonings before serving. Mashed potatoes form a major component of several traditional dishes from the British Isles such as shepherd's pie, bubble and squeak, and the 'tatties' which accompany haggis. Other presentations or dishes may see potatoes baked potato whole; boiling potatoes; steaming potatoes; cut into cubes and roast potatoes; diced or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes; and cut into long, thin pieces and fried or baked (French fries, traditionally called "French fries" in the U.S.). Potatoes also serve to make a type of pasta called gnocchi. Potatoes form one of the main ingredients in many soups such as the pseudo-French vichyssoise and Albanian potato and cabbage soup. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. == Toxic compounds in potatoes == Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, toxic compounds, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 degrees C) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids occur in the greatest concentrations just underneath the skin of the tuber, and they increase with age and exposure to light. Glycoalkaloids may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps and in severe cases coma and death; however, poisoning from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure also causes greening, thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep solanine levels below 0.2 mg/g (200 ppm). However, when even these commercial varieties turn green, they can approach concentrations of solanine of 1 mg/g (1000 ppm). Some studies suggest that 200 mg of solanine can constitute a dangerous dose. This dose would require eating 1 average-sized spoiled potato or 4 to 9 good potatoes (over 3 pounds) at one time. The National Toxicology Program suggests that the average American consumes 12.5 mg/person/day of solanine from potatoes. Dr. Douglas L. Holt, the State Extension Specialist for Food Safety at the University of Missouri - Columbia, notes that no reported cases of potato-source solanine poisoning have occurred in the U.S. in the last 50 years and most cases involved eating green potatoes or drinking potato-leaf tea. ==Potato Fruits== After potatoes flower some varieties will produce little green fruits similar to green cherry tomato es. These produce seeds like other fruits. Insects can cross-pollinate the flowers of different potato plants. Each of the fruits can contain up to 300 true seeds, and every seed will differ genetically from its fellows One can separate the seeds from the fruits by putting them in a blender on a slow speed with some water, then leaving them in water for a day so that the seeds will sink and the rest of the fruit will float. Warning: do not eat the fruits - they contain poisons. (Note that potatoes belong to the same family as deadly nightshade.[http://www.selfsufficientish.com/potatoes.htm]) == Cultivation == [[Image:Potato beetle larvae.jpg|left|framed|Colorado potato beetle larvae]] Potato plants have a low-growing habit and bear white flowers with yellow stamens. They grow best in cool climates with good rainfall or irrigation such as Maine, Idaho, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Belarus, Germany, Poland, and Russia. But they adapt readily, and producers grow them, at least on a small scale, in most temperate regions. Buds called "eyes" appear on the surface of potato tubers. Since common varieties of potatoes do not produce seeds (they bear sterile flowers), propagation occurs by planting pieces of existing tubers, cut to include at least one eye. Confusingly, these pieces can bear the name "seed potatoes". The haulm or shaw of the potato plant may wither if early harvesting does not occur.
==Practical tips originally from the 1881 ''Household Cyclopedia''== === Ground Preparation === Reducing the ground until completely free from root-weeds helps in potato husbandry; though in many seasons one cannot complete these operations without losing the proper time for planting, which never ought to come after the first of May, if circumstances do not absolutely interdict it. In most cases the land requires three ploughings, with frequent harrowings and rollings, before reaches a suitable condition. When ready form the drills as if for turnips; cart the manure and apply it generously, plant the seed above the manure, reverse the drills for covering it and the seed, then harrow the drills in length, which completes the preparation and seed process. === Seed Quantity === Cutting the seed into small slips does not provide any advantage, for the strength of the stem at the outset depends in direct proportion upon the vigor and power of the seed-plant. Accordingly, make the seed plant large, rarely smaller than the fourth-part of the potato; and in the case of small seed-potatoes one may profitably use half of the potato. At all events, rather err in using over-large seed than in making it too small; because, by the first error, no great loss can ever be sustained; whereas, by the other, a feeble and late crop may result. With properly cut seed, it requires from ten to twelve hundredweight of potatoes to plant an acre (1.2 to 1.5 t/ha) of ground, where the rows lie twenty-seven inches (700 mm) apart; but this quantity depends greatly upon the size of the potatoes used; large potatoes may require a greater weight, but the extra quantity will abundantly pay off in the superiority of the crop which large seed usually produces. === Raising Methods === [[Image:Potato blossom.JPG|left|framed|Potato blossom
Hemingway, South Carolina]] Cultivation should go twelve inches deep, if the soil will allow it; after this, the gardener should open a hole (about six inches (150 mm) deep and not more than twelve inches (300 mm) in diameter) and place horse-dung or long litter therein, about three inches (75 mm) thick. Upon this dung or litter plant a potato whole, shake a little more dung over it, and then cover with earth. Plant the whole plot of ground in like manner, taking care to keep the potatoes at least sixteen inches apart. When the young shoots make their appearance they should have fresh mould drawn around them with a hoe; cover the tender shoots to prevent the frost from injuring them; and earth them (but do not cover them) when the shoots make a second appearance, as in all probability the season will become less severe. Provide a plentiful supply of mould, taking care never to tread upon the plant, or upon the hillock raised round it, as the looser the earth the more room the potato will have to expand. A gentleman obtained from a single root, thus planted, very nearly forty pounds weight of large potatoes, and from almost every other root upon the same plot of ground from fifteen to twenty pounds weight; and, unless in stony or gravelly soil, ten pounds or half a peck of potatoes may generally result from each root by pursuing the foregoing method. But note: cuttings or small sets will not do for this purpose. [[image:Tractors in Potato Field.jpg|250px|thumb|Potato field
Fort Fairfield, Maine]] === Harvesting === At harvest time, workers generally dig up potatoes with a three-prong grape or fork, but at other times, in dry weather, the plough can serve as the most expeditious implement for unearthing potatoes. After gathering the interval, break and separate the furrow taken by the plough, thus gathering the crop more completely than when taken up by the grape. === Storing === Store up potatoes for winter and spring use; and as one should keep them as long through summer as possible, make every endeavor to preserve them from frost, and from sprouting in the spring months. For frost protection, cover them well with straw when lodged in a house, and by a thick coat of earth when deposited in a pit; to prevent sprouting, pick them carefully at different times, when they begin to sprout, and dry them sufficiently by exposure to the sun, or by a gentle toast of a kiln. === Cultivation in Ireland === Baron Farnham, in a letter to Sir John Sinclair, particularly recommends the drill system in the cultivation of potatoes in Ireland. The small farmers and laborers plant them in lazy-beds, eight feet wide. They do so on account of the want of necessary implements for practising the drill system, together with a want of horses for the same purpose. Planting personnel cut the potatoes into sets, three from a large potato; and each set to contain at least one eye. The sets are planted at the distance of seven inches apart, six and a quarter hundredweight are considered sufficient seed for a British acre. Lord Farnham recommends rotten dung in preference to any fresh dung - if not procurable, horse-dung, hot from the dunghill. In any soil he would recommend the dung below the seed. When the potato plants reach a height of ten inches above the surface, introduce the scuffler and cast the mold from the potato. Hand-hoe any weeds found in the drills; three days afterwards mould them up by the double-breasted plough, as high as the neck of the potato. Practise this mode twice, or in some cases three times, particularly if growing potatoes on foul land. I do not (says Lord Farnham) consider any mode so good as the drill system. === General Observations === To prepare either oat or wheat stubble for the drill system, plough in October or at the beginning of November; plough deeply and lay up for winter dry. In March harrow the ground and give it three clean earths. Thoroughly eradicate the couchgrass . Use drills three feet apart; drill deep the first time, giving room in the bottom of the furrow to contain the dung. The best time to begin planting the potatoes occurs about the end of April by this system. It prepares as well for wheat as the best fallows. Three feet and a half for drills does better than four feet. Mr. Curwen prefers four feet and a half. He claims immense productivity. One should cut potatoes at least from two to three weeks before planting; and if planted very early whole potatoes do better than cut ones. Dung under and over. Some agriculturists lately pay much attention to raising seedling potatoes, with the hope of renewing the vigor of the plant. One can produce early potatoes in great quantity by resetting the plants, after taking off the ripe and large ones. A gentleman at Dumfries has replanted them six different times in one season, without any additional manure; and, instead of their falling off in quantity, he gets a larger crop of ripe ones at every raising than the former ones. His plants have still on them three distinct crops, and he supposes they may still continue to vegetate and germinate until the frost stops them. By this means he has a new crop every eight days, and has had so for a length of time. == References and external links == * Reference for potato history: ''The Vegetable Ingredients Cookbook'' by Christine Ingram, Lorenz Books, 1996 ISBN 1859672647 * ''The History and Social Influence of the Potato'' by Redcliffe N. Salaman ISBN 0521316235 * [http://www.kallipolis.com/diet/food.php?id=11674&w=1 Potato nutrition facts] *Hamilton, Andy & Dave, (2004), [http://www.selfsufficientish.com/potatoes.htm Potatoes - Solanum tuberosums] retrieved on 4 May 2005 Potatoes mg:Ovy simple:Potato
Potato
== Cold chips == "Potatoes are generally eaten hot, but several basic potato recipes involve cooking the potatoes and then eating them cold - potato salad and potato chips" I would not want to eat cold chips! I think you mean crisps Potato "chips" is the equivalent of British "crisps" in America. == Misconception == A common misconception is that potatoes are vegetables. Their actual classification has yet to be known == Raleigh == Raleigh was in Venezuela... He may not have imported the potato into England, but he was certainly in South America...User:Wetman 22:46, 20 Dec 2003 (UTC) ::Absolutely right. I do not have the Raleigh info at my fingertips, but he certainly went to South America. I removed the erroneous phrase, but the statement now looks awkward. I will look up the details in the next couple of days if no one gets to it first. User:WormRunner 23:18, 20 Dec 2003 (UTC) == harvesting == Is there more info on the harvesting of potatoes? =="Irish Potato"== :''The potato is unrelated to the sweet potato. In the United States it is sometimes referred to as the "Irish Potato" to distinguish it.'' It would be good to state where in the U.S. this usage occurs, as it surely doesn't in California. --User:Yath 08:10, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC) :I don't believe it is locality-specific so much as an older usage. I have certainly heard the expression used in Oregon, but not by the younger people. I am quite certain, from people I know, that it has been used in California as well. The great Irish Immigration is no longer part of the national consciousness. User:WormRunner | User talk:WormRunner 01:43, 5 Aug 2004 (UTC) Irish-born American, lived all over the USA and I've never heard the common potato referred to as the "Irish potato". I think this is just a joke about the Irish someone slipped in, and should be deleted. User:oiguvnuh :White potatoes are definitely "Irish Potatoes" (actually more like "Arsh" potatoes) in South Carolina, where sweet potatoes are the norm. 03:05, Mar 8, 2005 (UTC) I think it shows up in ''The Joy of Cooking'' which is a fairly authoritative source about American food. User:FreplySpang 21:09, 8 Mar 2005 (UTC) People in my parents generation (My mother is 88) used the term "Irish Potato" all the time. It is no longer commonly used, at least in Oregon, but it was. I have heard it used (as a child) by my parents, my grandparents, and by family friends. I have not heard it used by one of my contemporaries (I am 54) in the last 30 years anyway, but my mother still uses it. -- User:WormRunner | User talk:WormRunner 17:54, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC) I second listing regions that use the term "Irish potato". I've never heard that name, as most people around here (southeastern Illinois) simply call them potatoes, while sweet potatoes are always called sweet potatoes. I haven't heard it used in southwestern Indiana, either (I often visit Terre Haute, Indiana and Vincennes, Indiana). What is the state of origin of the author(s) of ''The Joy of Cooking''? --User:Evice 10:09, Mar 21, 2005 (UTC) ==Weird Grammar== "To reduce the ground till it is completely free from root-weeds, may be considered as a desiderutum in potato husbandry; though in many seasons these operations cannot be perfectly executed, without losing the proper time for planting, which never ought to be beyond the first of May, if circumstances do not absolutely interdict it. Three ploughings, with frequent harrowings and rollings, are necessary in most cases before the land is in suitable condition. " Normally this is the sort of thing I'd correct grammar on. However, in this case I can't figure out what the hell it's saying. Would anyone be so kind as to translate this into English? BTW as a side note, I've never heard the 'Irish Potato' thing from anyone of any age, and I'm in Portland. :"To grow potatoes you should till the ground to remove weeds; but in many seasons the ground cannot be tilled before the first of May, the ideal time for planting as far as circumstances allow. The ground should be ploughed three times (with frequent harrowings and rollings, whatever those are :)) before the ground is suitable for planting." (Or something! :)) User:Adam Bishop 04:00, 9 Sep 2004 (UTC) ::The formatting made it unclear that the text was from an 1881 reference work. Since it's a quotation, it shouldn't be corrected! I have created a new section heading to clarify that the text is a quotation. User:Tomgally 11:24, 4 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Chitting== I'm quite surprised anyone has written about cultivation of potatoes without any mention of [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=potato+chitting&btnG=Search Chitting] User:William Avery 19:18, 19 Oct 2004 (UTC) Potatoes are tastey! - Annonomous ==Potato Beetle== Why is there a picture of potato beetles on the page? It's a nice picture, but the article doesn't mention them and I think it might be a mistake. Do they eat potatoes, or just leaves? Have I missed something? Am I evil? Yes I am.User:Ashley Pomeroy 13:49, 23 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Synonyms== Why no mention of tatties or spuds? User:Bovlb 04:25, 2005 Jan 12 (UTC) ==Genetic Diversity== Genetic diversity of the potato in the Andes, demonstrating its homeland, hasn't been handled yet and needs a subsection. Google: "genetic diversity potato Andes" for a start! --User:Wetman 10:30, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC) Have tried to touch on it and still have it in keeping with this article as genetic diversity comes from cross polination of the plant and the production of fruits, see potato fruits. User:Andham2000 12:25, 4 May 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
P
PA | PB | PC | PD | PE | PF | PG | PH | PI | PJ | PK | PL | PM | PN | PO | PR | PS | PT | PU | PW | PX | PY | PZ |Words begining with Potato:
Potato
Potato
Potatoe
Potatoe
Potatoe56
Potatoeman57
Potatoeman57
Potatoes
Potatoes
Potatoes_and_dragons
Potatoes_For_Christmas
Potatoes_for_Christmas
Potatoes_for_Christmas
Potatoe_salad
Potatojunkie
PotatoOfCouch
PotatoOfCouch
Potatophone
Potatos
Potatosalad
Potatosalad
Potatoscone
Potato_bean
Potato_blight
Potato_bread
Potato_bread
Potato_bug
Potato_cannon
Potato_chip
Potato_chips
Potato_chips
Potato_Creek_State_Park
Potato_crisp
Potato_dextrose_broth
Potato_dishes
Potato_Famine
Potato_famine
Potato_farl
Potato_farls
Potato_fungus
Potato_gun
Potato_head
Potato_Head_Blues
Potato_launcher
Potato_masher
Potato_omelette
Potato_pancake
Potato_pancakes
Potato_pancakes
Potato_peeler
Potato_Pretender
Potato_ricer
Potato_Salad
Potato_salad
Potato_spindle_tuber_viroid
Potato_spindle_tuber_viroid
Potato_summit
Potato_vine
Potato_vine
Potato_War
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