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Potato facts:
When you store potatoes, place an apple in with them for
company and they won't sprout.
Potatoes will keep for several weeks
if stored in a cool, well ventilated, dark place.
Potatoes should not
be stored near garlic or onions because both emit gases that will speed up the
deterioration of the other.
Cut out parts of sprouted potatoes that
have become green from exposure to light, as the green portion and the sprouts
contain the toxic alkaloid called solanine, which can cause cramps or fatigue.
Raw potatoes should never be refrigerated because the chill converts
the starch to sugar, which causes the flesh to become sweet.
If you
ad hot milk to potatoes when you are mashing them, they won't become heavy,
lumpy or soggy. Cold milk tends to cause the starch in the potato to form a
solid.
Native to the Peruvian Andes, the potato is an American
vegetable. It was cultivated in Peru and Bolivia and was a staple food for the
Incas. In the early 16th century, the Spanish Conquistadors brought the potato
to Europe. However, it did not gain wide acceptance until 1573 when it was
cultivated in Spain. The Potato then crossed the Atlantic again to come back to
North America where the pioneers spread them across the country.
The
potato is not a root vegetable although it grows underground. Horticulturally
speaking, only vegetables like carrots, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, radishes, and
rutabagas are root vegetables.
White potatoes are the swollen tips of
underground stems and as such are called tubers. Other vegetables like onions,
garlic, leeks, shallots, and water chestnuts are also members of this
distinguished family.
Nutritional fact of the potato:
Once
considered a "lowly" starch, the potato is now recognized as a nutritious
vegetable to be included in every balanced diet. With only 95 calories, a 5
ounce baked potato has as much vitamin C as 1/2 cup of tomato juice and the
same protein as half an egg. Compared to one cup of milk, it has 7 times the
iron, the same amount of thiamine, and 8 times the niacin. Potatoes are also
high in water-absorbing fiber which makes one feel more satisfied and less
hungry. Not only is this vegetable great tasting, inexpensive and nutritious,
it is cholesterol-free and 99% fat-free. The tuber of the potato plant is an
excellent source of complex carbohydrates, the body best energy source. Unlike
simple carbohydrates (those found in sugar and refined products) that tend to
give a quick lift, complex carbohydrates deliver a slow, steady release of
energy.
A potato for every purpose
"New" potatoes refers to
those that are freshly harvested, so their sugar and moisture content are at
their highest. They cook more quickly and taste sweeter than stored potatoes of
the same variety. New potatoes, red potatoes, and potatoes identified as
"baking" or "all purpose" potatoes all have different flavors and textures.
All purpose potatoes are a good choice for boiling as they have a more
moist consistency. Potatoes are also classified according to their starch
content. The high starch content of red or white Russet potatoes makes them
well-suited for baking or mashing and the best choice for frying . Small round
red potatoes are perfect for steaming or sauteing. The newly developed White
Rose (California long white) grown only in Arizona and California, is becoming
a popular all-purpose potato. The Katahdin is the predominant all-purpose
variety grown in vegetablese.
A wonderful variety that has long been popular in
Europe and is now gaining interest in the U.S. is the Yukon gold. Developed in
Canada, it has a rich buttery flavor and golden color. This medium starch
potato can be used like any all-purpose potato. Both the All Blue and Blue
Carib have grayish blue skins, dark blue flesh and a delicate flavor. Steam or
bake them to retain their flavor.
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