Potato Recipe

Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes in about 200 BC.

In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, became aware of the potato, and carried them to Europe.

Before the end of the sixteenth century families of Basque sailors began to cultivate potatoes along the Biscay coast of northern Spain.

Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589 near Cork on the 40,000 acres of land given to him by Queen Elizabeth I in 1581.

Potatoes arrived in the Colonies in 1621 when the Governor of Bermuda, Nathaniel Butler, sent two large cedar chests containing potatoes and other vegetables to Governor Francis Wyatt of Virginia at Jamestown.

The first permanent potato patches in North America were established in 1719, most likely near Londonderry (Derry), NH. Marie Antoinette wife of Louis XV was known to wear potato blossoms as a hair decoration.

A. A. Parmentier helped King Louis XIV popularize the potato in France in the 18th century. Parmentier created a feast with only potato dishes, a concept he realized was possible while being imprisoned in Germany and fed only potatoes. Benjamin Franklin, ambassador to France, was in attendance of Parmentier's feast in 1767.

French Fries were introduced to the U.S. when Thomas Jefferson served them in the White House during his Presidency of 1801-1809.

Over the years of cultivation in Ireland the potato had become the major food source to the Irish population. In 1845-46 a fungus destroyed the potato crops causing the disaster of the Irish Potato Famine

In October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in space. NASA and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, created the technology with the goal of feeding astronauts on long space voyages, and eventually, feeding future space colonies.
Interesting uses of potatoes

The Incas had many uses for potatoes other than dinner:


Raw slices placed on broken bones to promote healing.

Carried to prevent rheumatism

Eaten with other foods to prevent indigestion.

Measured time: by correlating units of time by how long it took for potatoes to cook.

French chemist Louis Lumiere used microscopic grains of potato starch fixed on 9-inch by 12-inch glass plates to create and market the first autochromes in 1907. Autochromes were widely used in photography before the development of color film.