The Spanish explorer, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, described potatoes as ‘earth apples’ and Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said that the riches of the Americas were not gold but potatoes, vanilla and cocoa. Solanum tubersosum or as we know it the potato, is a member of the nightshade family alongside tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, however the fruit and the leaves are not consumed (Civitello 2007). Originating in the Andes in South America, it was cultivated by the native people. As mankind advanced and colonized the world so did the potato. And it gained momentum as a staple part of the world’s diet. But as well as being vital to the world the potato has a negative history which effected the lives of many. The importance of the potato to
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From then the potato was introduced throughout Europe, with it being introduced to France and Ireland in the 1600s (Civitello 2007). The potato was introduced in France possibly from Spain or England. The Spanish potato starting in the Andes and the English potato is speculated to have stopped in Virginia before continuing onto England then France (Reader 2008). The potato is also thought to come from Switzerland to France by French agriculturalist Oliver de Serres who devoted a chapter of his Théâtre d’agriculture st mesnage des champs to the potato (Did You Know: Food History - Short History of the Potato n.d.). The potato is known by the French as Pomme de terre, meaning earth apple (Civitello 2007). The potato was slow to grow favouritism in France and other countries because it was viewed as weird, poisonous and evil. It was thought to cause not only leprosy but also syphilis, early death, sterility and destroying the soil where it was planted (Trager 1995). A French town, Besancon, made an edict stating that: “In view of the fact that the potato is a pernicious substance whose use can cause leprosy, it is hereby forbidden, under pain of fine, to cultivate it." (Grumley-Grennan n.d.). However in 1786, the year following the great Famine in France, Antoine Augustine Parmentier began reintroducing the potato to the people but the people were stubborn. Parmentier was a …show more content…
With potato being the third most important food crop in the world its significant to the modern day diet. Events such as the Irish Potato famine are what lead to the creation of the Idaho potato. The Idaho potato was developed by Luther Burbank in 1873. He used an understanding of evolution and selective breeding to hybridise the potato. His goal was to create a more disease resistant potato, giving rise to the Idaho potato (Civitello 2007). Also the potato is used to make alcohol. The potato has been used by women brewers to make vegetable beer, and the Russians using distilling techniques they learned from Poland to make potato-based vodka (Civitello 2007). However the major uses for potatoes nowadays is French fries and potato crisps. In the 1853 the potato chip was developed by an African-American cook, George Crum, in Saratoga, New York. The potato chip came about when a customer rejected French fries sliced by George because they were too thick. Annoyed by the customer George cut paper thin fries instead. The brown paper thin potatoes were loved by the customer and was requested by others. They began appearing on the menu as Saratoga Chips (George Crum: Inventor of Potato Chips n.d.). The idea to sell the chips in stores developed around the same time roughly for a few people, notably William Tappendon in 1895 was one of the first. He sold
From then the potato was introduced throughout Europe, with it being introduced to France and Ireland in the 1600s (Civitello 2007). The potato was introduced in France possibly from Spain or England. The Spanish potato starting in the Andes and the English potato is speculated to have stopped in Virginia before continuing onto England then France (Reader 2008). The potato is also thought to come from Switzerland to France by French agriculturalist Oliver de Serres who devoted a chapter of his Théâtre d’agriculture st mesnage des champs to the potato (Did You Know: Food History - Short History of the Potato n.d.). The potato is known by the French as Pomme de terre, meaning earth apple (Civitello 2007). The potato was slow to grow favouritism in France and other countries because it was viewed as weird, poisonous and evil. It was thought to cause not only leprosy but also syphilis, early death, sterility and destroying the soil where it was planted (Trager 1995). A French town, Besancon, made an edict stating that: “In view of the fact that the potato is a pernicious substance whose use can cause leprosy, it is hereby forbidden, under pain of fine, to cultivate it." (Grumley-Grennan n.d.). However in 1786, the year following the great Famine in France, Antoine Augustine Parmentier began reintroducing the potato to the people but the people were stubborn. Parmentier was a …show more content…
With potato being the third most important food crop in the world its significant to the modern day diet. Events such as the Irish Potato famine are what lead to the creation of the Idaho potato. The Idaho potato was developed by Luther Burbank in 1873. He used an understanding of evolution and selective breeding to hybridise the potato. His goal was to create a more disease resistant potato, giving rise to the Idaho potato (Civitello 2007). Also the potato is used to make alcohol. The potato has been used by women brewers to make vegetable beer, and the Russians using distilling techniques they learned from Poland to make potato-based vodka (Civitello 2007). However the major uses for potatoes nowadays is French fries and potato crisps. In the 1853 the potato chip was developed by an African-American cook, George Crum, in Saratoga, New York. The potato chip came about when a customer rejected French fries sliced by George because they were too thick. Annoyed by the customer George cut paper thin fries instead. The brown paper thin potatoes were loved by the customer and was requested by others. They began appearing on the menu as Saratoga Chips (George Crum: Inventor of Potato Chips n.d.). The idea to sell the chips in stores developed around the same time roughly for a few people, notably William Tappendon in 1895 was one of the first. He sold