Potatoes Are A Versatile Vegetable
History of potatoes
The potato is native to the cold
mountainous regions of Peru. The earliest evidence
dates them back to 2,500 BC. Potatoes are a cool weather
crop, growing in climates too cold for grains, making
them extremely valuable as an energy food in areas where
other starchy vegetables can’t grow. Spanish explorers
introduced potatoes to the western world where they
quickly became a staple food.
Varieties of potatoes
There are several varieties of the
‘white’ or ‘Irish’ potato. They are the familiar brown
skinned potato, the russet, which is a thin skinned
potato that is eaten in potato salads, unpeeled. There
is the yellow fleshed variety named Klondike Gold.
Potatoes were vital to survival in
cooler climates with severe winters. They keep well when
properly stored. Farms in the north temperate zone had
cool dark cellars where potatoes were a staple for
winter survival.
Cooking with potatoes
Potatoes are a versatile vegetable
taking on several textures and flavors depending on how
they are prepared. They are boiled and served in stews,
mashed and served with gravy, pan fried with onions,
French fried, baked and served whole with sour cream and
chives, made into potato chips, and used in potato
salad. Each method of preparation reveals a different
character of the ubiquitous potato.
Nutrition in potatoes
Potatoes are a starchy food. However,
they provide only 100 calories per serving and are a
good source of potassium and fiber. They are a rich
source of vitamin C. The nutrition of the potato, except
for the starchy calories, are in the skin and the layer
a quarter inch (1 cm) under the skin as indicated by the
dark ring that can be seen if you cut a potato in half.
(R.D.)
|
Lose
weight on the most Popular Diets Online:
Smile!