Tater Thoughts

Question: Who is the leading producer of potatoes—the humble tuber that has emerged as a global culinary pillar?

Answer: China

China is the top spud grower by a long shot, producing close to 100 million metric tons of potatoes each year—double the amount of second place India, and about five times more than fifth place United States. A staple food for cultures across the globe, the humble potato is one of the most important crops in the world (right after wheat, corn, and rice). Yet most of the world never even heard of a “potato” until Spanish conquerors brought some back from South America.

It is doubtful that any immigrant assimilated into a foreign culture faster or more deeply than the humble Andean tuber. It’s gotten so that everyone from Idaho farmers in the U.S. to kitchen chefs in India to gnocchi-loving Italians are claiming potatoes as their native crop—which they aren’t, of course.

The potato and its Andean roots

As far as potatoes go, you have to give credit where credit is due. And all archaeological evidence points to potatoes being first domesticated from wild plants on the shores of Lake Titicaca by Indigenous populations of the Andes mountains more than 7,000 years ago—making it one of the world’s oldest vegetables. Ancient Andean societies, including the Inca Empire, consumed potatoes both as a major part of their diets and in religious ceremonies. The diverse climatic conditions of the Andes allowed for the cultivation of a remarkable variety of potatoes—several hundred in all colors and shapes—and over the centuries Indigenous farmers developed sophisticated agricultural techniques that included raised mountain terraces and irrigation systems that resulted in huge yields of the important crop.

Potato storehouses also helped the Inca to benefit from the wide variety they cultivated. A technique called chuño (Quechua for “freeze drying”) allowed for the long-term storage (even decades) of potatoes that would sustain populations through harsh winters, crop failures, or any period of scarcity.

What made the potato so irresistible for the Incas and later for civilizations around the world was a combination of its unrivalled nutritional value and relative ease to cultivate compared to other crops. No other crop provides more calories per acre (three times more than grain), demands less cultivation (potatoes even grow in poor soil), or stores easier than potatoes. They contain almost every important vitamin and nutrient needed for a healthy human diet except Vitamins A and D–and you can get those by keeping the skin on and sipping a glass of milk. Far from the bad rap of being a “high carb” food, the nutrition you get from potatoes is something no other single crop can provide. But the Europeans would need a bit of convincing before they hopped on the potato bandwagon ...

When potatoes first arrived, Europe said “no thanks”

Just like they are today, people throughout history have been hesitant to try something new and different—and that’s never been truer than when the potato first arrived on the shores of the European continent. In 1532, the Spanish invasion may have spelled the end of the Inca, but not to the cultivation of potatoes. In what historians call the Great Columbian Exchange, the invaders loaded up their galleons with tubers (the underground parts of the plant we refer to as potatoes) and took them across the pond, along with other crops like tomatoes, avocados, and corn. This would be the first time in history that potatoes ventured beyond the Americas. While it would one day become a staple in European homes, that wouldn’t be for a while. Unlike in places like China and India, where potatoes were an immediate hit, the European attitude was more like, “Good to feed native populations under colonial rule we suppose, but not for us thank you.”

Even the peasants weren’t able to grasp the value of this nutritional powerhouse. To them, potatoes lacked any appreciable aroma or flavor—especially when they saw how even hungry dogs seemed uninterested in them. So, potatoes were shunned by European nobility, who considered them only suitable for the working classes. The working classes, in turn, considered them only suitable for animal feed—and apparently the animals weren’t too gung-ho about them either. But because they were still considered a useful food source for indigenous populations in overseas colonies, potatoes continued to be cultivated in many parts of Europe. Lots of Europeans families also planted them in their gardens—but that was for their pretty flowers, not to eat them. There was one more reason Europeans weren’t going to put potatoes on the menu anytime soon; since the potato is a member of nightshade family, many Europeans believed they were toxic.

In the land of Europe, the one-eyed potato is king

If any single person can be credited with enlightening Europe on the benefits of solanum tuberosum (the potato), it would be Frederick the Great. Renowned for his military tactics as ruler of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, Frederick kept a vast botanical garden at his lovely Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Understanding the importance of agricultural science, Frederick knew the widespread cultivation of potatoes and their calories would be the ideal hedge against the risk of famine in Prussia. Unfortunately, however, the citizenry ignored his orders to plant and harvest potatoes in the countryside of present-day Germany. Not one to give up easily, Frederick realized the root of the problem (so to speak) boiled down to one simple thing: “What the peasant doesn’t know, he will not eat.” He also realized forcing them to adopt potatoes into their diets wouldn’t work—they had to want to eat them.

While Frederick may have earned the title “the Great” for his sweeping domestic reforms while turning Prussia into a military power, he deserves it just for his solution to turn the local population into potato lovers. In a textbook case of reverse psychology, Frederick had potatoes planted in several high traffic areas in and around Potsdam and Berlin. Then he fenced in the sites and posted armed guards to protect the crops (with orders to take frequent breaks and naps, leaving the plants intentionally unguarded). Sure enough, peasants quickly associated the potato plant as something of great value and began stealing portions of the crop at every location. As if some psychological barrier was broken, the popularity of potatoes would only increase throughout Europe. Frederick’s successful campaign of “persuasion by perceived scarcity” is still recognized and emulated in modern-day marketing circles. Visitors to Sanssouci Palace today can sometimes find potatoes left on Frederick’s grave as an homage to one more nickname he earned—“Der Kartoffelkönig,” or the “Potato King.”

You can’t tax what you can’t see

With minor and not-so-minor wars springing up all over Europe in those early centuries of spud adoption, villagers quickly discovered another big advantage in planting potatoes—they were extremely difficult to tax. Or to be plundered by soldiers. Think of it. A tax collector can’t miss a field of swaying wheat. But underground potatoes are pretty well hidden. They’re not harvested all at once, but dug up one by one as needed, so the taxman doesn’t have a clue as to what to charge you. And if there’s a war going on, marauding soldiers will raid grain stores or tear down a field of crops but they’re not going to stop and dig up an acre of buried potatoes.

So, what happened in Ireland?

Villagers throughout Europe began embracing the humble potato because no other crop provided more nutritional yield per acre. This was even more in important in Ireland, where tenants had to rent the land they tilled—so when lords increased their fees, they needed to produce as much food as possible in the smallest area. And no crop produced more calories per acre than the potato—until it didn’t. A potato blight beginning in 1845 paved the way for the Great Famine of 1845 to 1849 in Ireland, a crop failure that was compounded by the response by the British Government in London (who took a “laissez-faire” approach with relief efforts that only made things worse). Absentee British landlords began evicting starving tenants unable to pay rent, resulting in the death of a million Irish in Ireland, the emigration of another million Irish to the U.S., and a steady departure of two more million Irish to Canada, Australia, and other destinations. Even more than 150 years later, Ireland’s population has still not returned to its pre-famine level. Haunted by the memories of the suffering, many that stayed behind would form the basis of an Irish independence movement.

The famine that halved Ireland’s population in such a short period of time also called attention to the fact that potatoes were supplying 80% of the country’s calorie intake. Relying on a single crop is never a good idea, but decades of poverty had forced a third of Ireland’s population to do just that. The lack of genetic diversity made the potatoes particularly susceptible to diseases, including the one responsible for Ireland’s Great Famine. Hundreds of other potato crop failures occurred around the world, but to a far lesser degree due to their cultivation of several varieties of potato—Ireland was dependent on just one type. Improvements in crop breeding in the early 20th century have yielded more durable potato varieties, including ones resistant to the blight that devastated the potato crops in Ireland. Ironically, millions of farmers in northern Europe—who had gone through a series of non-potato crop failures—began replacing their crops with the newly-arrived tuber from South America beginning in the late 18th century because they were so durable and slow to spoil.

Low in fat and calories, high in nutrients, potatoes can be enjoyed baked, boiled, roasted, fried, steamed, or mashed, making them among the most versatile and important food crops on Earth. And that’s no small potatoes ...

A few more fascinating facts about the humble potato

• Spudnik—In 1995, with a goal of eventually feeding astronauts on long space voyages—and future space colonies—the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in outer space.     
• Spudzilla—The Guinness record for the largest potato is currently held by UK resident Peter Glazebrook, who grew one weighing 10 pounds, 11 ounces in 2011 (aww, and it started out as just a wee tater tot). A 17.4-pound potato grown by a New Zealand couple was disqualified after DNA testing revealed the specimen to be the tuber of a type of gourd, and not a potato.
• It’s about time—Incans and even earlier Andean civilizations used the potato to measure time. Units of time corresponded to how long it took to cook a potato to different consistencies. And a timely irony for those who recall high school science experiments that used potatoes to generate electricity—a potato battery can be used to power a small clock.
• It’s not easy being green—If eaten in large amounts, green potatoes are toxic. So, if that 10+-pounder appears a bit greenish, it will definitely kill you.
• Let them eat croquettes—Marie Antoinnette was so fond of potato plant blossoms that she wore them in her hair, while her husband, Louis XVI, sported one in his buttonhole. The unusual fashion choice inspired a brief vogue in which the French aristocracy could be seen seen flitting about town with potato plants on their clothing.
• Green thumb not necessary—Unlike many other crops, potatoes are quite easy to grow. They don’t require large amounts of fertilizer or chemical additives, and they use a lot less water.
• Dull but necessary—The part of the plant called the “potato” grows on a specialized underground stem called a “stolon.” So, although potatoes grow underground, they are considered “stems,” not “roots,” and are also known as “tubers.”
• One more sweet distinction—Adding to the confusion, potatoes and sweet potatoes are not in the same plant family. While both are tubers that grow underground, sweet potatoes are actually the enlarged roots of the sweet potato plant and are classified as “root tubers.” Sweet potatoes belong to the same family as the morning glory, called Convolvulaceae.
• That’s Mr. Potato Head to you—On April 30, 1952, Mr. Potato Head became the first ever toy to be advertised on television. The original toy was a kit consisting of sharp plastic facial pieces children were meant to stick into raw potatoes. It would be a few more years before Hasbro designed the plastic Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head bodies with pre-made holes for the facial pieces—which pleased parents everywhere who no longer had to worry about forgotten potatoes rotting under beds and couches.
• Fries with ketchup—A hybrid plant called the TomTato consists of a vine filled with cherry tomatoes and roots that grow white potatoes. First released in the U.K, the TomTato is not genetically modified, but was created by grafting the stems of the two closely related plants together. Still pretty cool!
• Pass the salt, please—Vincent van Gogh’s 1885 painting The Potato Eaters, depicting a group of peasants huddled around a table, eating their meager meal of boiled potatoes, was initially criticized for its harsh portrayal of life in the Netherlands. Now considered a masterpiece, the artist himself thought it was his best work to date. Then again, Van Gogh also thought “the stars were too big” in The Starry Night, and considered it a failure.

Learn about the longstanding impacts of the Great Potato Famine from a local Trip Experience Leader during Irish Adventure: Dublin, Belfast & the Northwest Counties.