34 top potato kitchen insights and benefits

Did you know that there are hundreds of different species of potatoes all around the world?

• Even while you may only find a select few kinds of potatoes at your local supermarket, most often Russet, Yukon Gold, and Red Bliss, there are really hundreds of different types of potatoes farmed all over the globe, and new varieties are always being developed. Adirondack Blue, Keuka Gold, Lehigh, and Eva are just a few of the new potato varieties that have been popular in the Pacific Northeast in recent years. Find some local and heritage potatoes at the farmers market in your area, and while you are there, inquire about the kind of potatoes you will be purchasing.
• When you harvest a potato, it is still alive, although in a dormant form, in contrast to a carrot that has been plucked or a cluster of grapes that have already died. Because warmth and moisture may trigger the sprouting process in the potatoes, it is important to store them in an environment that is cold and dry. It is important to bear in mind that this will not occur with the majority of commercially available potatoes since it is standard procedure to cover them with a sprout killer, which puts an end to the potato’s existence for good.
• Because of a partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the University of Wisconsin, seed potatoes were successfully experimented on for the first time in space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in the year 1995. Then, in 2004, NASA started experimenting with a Chinese method in order to develop the best possible potato that could be cultivated in a chamber. The potato has been given the moniker Quantum Tubers and is commonly regarded as the baddest potato that can be found anywhere in the world.
• Around 8,000 to 5,000 years before now, Inca Indians in Peru were the first people to plant potatoes. Around the year 1570, the Spanish conquistadors brought potatoes to Europe on their ships. The Spanish cultivated potatoes in Spain, but they mostly utilised the crop as fodder for their animals. This vegetable was brought to Europe by the Spanish. Surprisingly, despite the rapid expansion of potatoes throughout Europe, they were not first recognised as the hearty and nutritious meal that they have become today.

Potato nutrition values and health benefits

1. Potatoes are an excellent source of a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. They are rich in folate, niacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese and are an excellent source of these minerals. Because the potato skin has a higher concentration of certain micronutrients than the potato flesh does, eating the potato skin is recommended if you want to get the most out of your potato.
2. Potatoes are an excellent source of both carbohydrates and fibre, making them an excellent choice for those looking for a source of energy that is both satiating and beneficial. Potatoes are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Despite the fact that potatoes are high in carbohydrate content, they nonetheless deserve to be classified as a nutrient-rich vegetable. The fact that they also include other plant components that are beneficial to health makes them an important component of a diet that is balanced.
3. Potassium, which is abundant in potatoes, counteracts the effects of salt on the body to assist in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and fluid balance. According to research, the amount of potassium found in potatoes is comparable to that found in dietary supplements and may be used by the body in the same manner. Potassium is required for appropriate muscle function as well as the function of the nerves.
4. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining healthy blood vessel walls and connective tissue, as well as appropriate operation of the immune system and blood coagulation. It is necessary to take vitamin C in via one’s diet since the body is unable to store the vitamin. About 19% of the recommended daily dose for vitamin C may be found in just one baked potato.
5. Potatoes also include a high concentration of other phytonutrients, such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenols, which are known to have antioxidant properties. These molecules have the potential to assist in the repair of cells that have been damaged as a result of oxidative stress, which has been linked to a variety of chronic illnesses.
6. Fiber has a significant role in digestion, as well as in the regulation of blood sugar, the maintenance of a healthy weight, and the health of the heart. A high amount of dietary fibre may be obtained from potatoes, particularly when the skin is eaten as well.
7. Although uncommon, it is possible to be allergic to cooked or raw potatoes as well as the pollen from potatoes. People who suffer from hay fever and have an allergy to birch tree pollen are most likely to have these kinds of symptoms. When ingested, the potato’s proteins could cause an allergic response since they are chemically identical to other proteins.
8. When starchy foods are subjected to high temperatures during processing or cooking, a poisonous chemical known as acrylamide may accumulate in the meal. It has an effect on potatoes and other meals high in starch. The highest amounts of acrylamide might be produced by frying or baking potatoes at high temperatures for an extended period of time. However, these levels could be lowered if the potatoes were boiled beforehand or if antioxidant solutions were applied to them. You may also reduce the amount of acrylamides in potatoes by steaming them.

100g of potato has 77 calories (322kj), 2g protein, 0.1g fat, and 17g carbs, including 2.2g fibre.

How to store potato and how to buy them

• When stored at room temperature, raw potatoes are good for approximately a month, but they are good for about two weeks longer when kept in a cool pantry. You may also store raw potatoes in the refrigerator for approximately a month; however, since doing so will often cause them to become much sweeter, this method is not advised.
• Potatoes may be kept fresh for up to two months or even longer if they are kept at temperatures ranging from 7 to 10 degrees Celsius, which is the ideal temperature range for storing potatoes. The one and only drawback to such is that very few people have access to storage locations that can preserve a temperature in a comparable range. This is when the benefits of keeping potatoes in the pantry or allowing them to come to room temperature come into play.
• Once cooked, potatoes may be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days if they are firmly wrapped. After you have cooked or baked your potatoes, allow them to cool at room temperature before transferring them to a container that can be sealed or a pot that has a cover on it. Then, place them in the refrigerator. It is essential that the length of time for cooling down is not greater than two hours, since this is typically the amount of time that passes before cooked potatoes that have not been refrigerated become harmful to consume.
• If you bring the vegetables with you in a plastic bag, you should make a few holes in the bag so that the vegetables may breathe. In any other case, you might use a basket with some holes or a bag made of mesh instead. When potatoes are kept for an extended period of time in an environment that is warm enough to be considered room temperature, the potatoes will eventually begin to sprout. That is OK, and you need not worry about the potatoes going bad because of it.
• The problem with keeping potatoes in the refrigerator is that the cold temperature causes the starch in the potato to change into sugar. Keeping potatoes at a chilly temperature prevents this from happening. Because of this, the potatoes take on a flavour that is reminiscent of sweetness, as you would expect. Because of this, there are several sites on the internet where you may read that potatoes should never be stored in the refrigerator.
• Throw away a potato that has become mushy, wrinkled, or shrunken in appearance.
  1. These three problems are the most typical causes of spoilage in potatoes and indicate that they have lost moisture. Naturally, a few wrinkles are acceptable, and so is the use of a potato that is not quite as firm as you would want it to be. You are the only one who can determine when the quality of the root vegetable becomes unacceptable for consumption.
  2. Has several big black spots, bruising, or evidence of mould growth. Potatoes that have been scuffed or have mould on them rot very rapidly, and it is not uncommon for the rest of the bunch to get infected as well. As is the case with the vast majority of other types of vegetables, you may be able to remove the ruined section if it is just a little one; but, if doing so would require you to remove more than half of the potato, you should discard the whole item. When you are removing the damaged area, be sure to give yourself some margin for error.
  3. The odour is off. If a potato has a pronounced musty odour, it has gone bad and should not be eaten. Because the above-mentioned visible indicators of deterioration often occur in tandem with the “strange” smell, it is not too difficult to single out one or two potatoes that have gone bad in a bunch that smells rancid.

Cooking techniques, secrets, and tips from the kitchen

1. Use starchy potatoes to produce crispy potatoes, hot chips, wedges, mashed potato cakes, or hash browns because of their fluffiness and absorbency, all of which make them excellent candidates for baking and frying. They may also be mashed, although if they are overdone they have a tendency to become gummy and thick.
2. Because waxy potatoes are more resistant to losing their form after being cooked, they are an excellent choice for boiling, roasting, or slicing. You can make potato salad, casseroles, and soups using these ingredients. Because they maintain their shape throughout the mashing process, waxy potatoes are not a suitable choice for making mashed potatoes. In addition, you should not use them for baking or deep frying.
3. All-purpose potatoes are delicious when roasted, pan-fried, stewed, and used in soups and gratins like Potato Dauphinoise. They are especially beneficial for roasting. They may be cooked in the same manner as starchy potatoes, such as by baking, mashing, or frying in oil, although the end result will not be as fluffy. If you have a particular cuisine in mind that would be more suited to a starchy or waxy potato, then choose that variety rather than an all-purpose potato to use in it. However, an all-purpose potato may be used for almost anything.
4. The red bliss potato lives true to its name by providing a texture similar to butter and a taste that is light and airy. They fall into the category of being waxy and may be boiled before being sliced and used in salads or casseroles. The red bliss potatoes look really stunning with the pork loin that has been grilled with herbs, or they gracefully support the cream coating in the potato salad with peas.
5. In reality, russet potatoes belong to a family of potatoes that all have a skin that is russet in colour. They are of the starchy sort, and they form a beautiful basis for dishes using mashed potatoes or baked potatoes. The very finest russets will have a skin that is thick and rough, in addition to having a sizeable and firm flesh.
6. The inside of these potatoes seems to have a buttery and smooth texture, which is exactly how they taste. Since the Yukon gold is a versatile potato, you may feel free to use it in any of your go-to recipes that call for potatoes. Try your hand at making a spicy chorizo and potato soup or potato bourekas from Israel. No matter whatever option you choose with, you must ensure that the dish is doubled so that the taste may be shared with everyone.
7. The new potato is exactly what it sounds like: a potato that has been uprooted and harvested before it has had the opportunity to fully grow. New potatoes have a skin that is very thin and is perfect for crackling and sautéing before being drizzled with oil that has been flavoured with herbs. As a result of the fact that many of their sugars have not yet been transformed into starches, they are likewise more sugary and waxy than their older and more experienced cousins. Because of this, cooking them in a traditional chicken fricassee is a brilliant decision, as they will give the ideal mix of sweet and savoury flavours in the dish.

History of potato from the beginning until today

• In the Andes of Peru, circa 6000 B.C., archaeologists uncovered the first evidence of the potato. Evidence suggests that tribes of hunters arrived on the South American continent 7,000 years before the domestication of the potato suggests that they were there to collect wild potato plants. In the highlands around Lake Titicaca, the plants began to grow.
• After the collapse of Huari and Tiahuanacu between AD 1000 and 1200, the Inca civilization flourished in the Cuzco valley throughout the 1400s. The population of this region grew at an unprecedented rate, making it the most populous and prosperous colony in the Americas. By refining and expanding their forebears’ farming practises, they increased output of staples like maize and potatoes.
• When the Spanish arrived in 1532, they quickly put a stop to Inca rule. The Spanish explorers who returned to Europe at the time of the invasion brought with them the potato, which eventually became widely grown throughout the continent.
• When exactly the potato was initially brought to Ireland is uncertain. One theory attributes its introduction to the British adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh, while another suggests that the debris of a Spanish Armada ship brought potatoes to the coast of Cork. However, in 1589, Raleigh did sow potato seeds at his Cork estate in Ireland, and he presented the crop to Queen Elizabeth I as a gift.
• Sailors spread the potato throughout Europe by bringing it to other ports. Farmers were initially sceptical of potatoes because of their reputation for being untrustworthy, but the crop quickly proved itself and became an important part of the diet, contributing to the massive increase in human population that occurred in the 19th century.
• The “Great Famine” in Ireland, which lasted from 1845 to 1849, was a difficult time for potatoes in the middle of the 19th century. Because of a disease that swept across the potato crop, many Irish were forced to leave their homeland in search of a better life. Because of the standstill in commerce, many people lost their jobs, and few new ones appeared. To places like North America and Australia, Ireland lost more than half its population.
• There are now more than a thousand different varieties of potatoes, and they are used in cooking all around the globe. When compared to rice, wheat, and maize, it is the world’s fourth biggest food crop. Over the last several decades, it has also extended to previously unexplored regions of Southern and Eastern Asia, where it is currently cultivated and harvested in about one-third of the world’s potato crop in China and India alone.