A round vegetable, buried in the ground, covered in a brown shell. Inside, its golden flesh unlocks endless flavors and delights when harvested and well prepared. This vegetable, known as potato—or as we call it, Kartof(f)el—is often underestimated as just a side dish. Yet, it flourishes in an endless variety of dishes and tastes. So let’s discover this intriguing vegetable from our own perspectives.

Origin of potato 

Potatoes originate from present-day Peru, and the first archeological tuber remains are dated to 2500 BC. In South America, potatoes haven’t been used only as a food but as well as a currency and way to measure the time. Potatoes got popular by bringing them to Europe in the 30′ of the 16 century by Spanish conquistadors. Potatoes weren’t always popular. It wasn’t until 1740, when Prussia’s King Frederick planted them during wartime, hoping to encourage peasants to eat them, that they gained widespread acceptance. Following this, potatoes became a staple in German lands and Poland.

Potato facts

Potatoes are spread nearly all over the globe in over 125 countries. Being able to grow from  0 up to 4,700 meters above sea level, from southern Chile to Greenland, this uncomplicated vegetable conquered the world. With the ability to produce two to four times more food per year than grain crops while requiring less water, potatoes are an incredibly efficient and sustainable food source. In addition to being rich in starch, they also provide essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, minerals, and fiber. Historically, potatoes were even used as medicine, though their effectiveness remains uncertain. 

Today, global potato production exceeds 300 million tons, with over 4,000 cultivated varieties and more than 180 wild species. A member of the Solanaceae family, alongside tomatoes and tobacco, the potato has even made history as the first vegetable grown in space. As a testament to its impressive nature, the Guinness World Record for the largest potato stands at a whopping 4.98 kg.

Many ways to prepare potatoes

Potatoes exist in every imaginable way and you have endless possibilities of dishes to make with them. As a side dish potato serves well in forms of cooked, mashed or fried potatoes with a variety of different ways of preparation and seasoning. 

Think of gratin, crispy fries, creamy fillings, stuffed potatoes, potato pancakes, hearty soups, the list of amazing potato dishes goes on and on. Is your mouth watering yet? As you can see, making potatoes is different and depends on the country or even the family, but potatoes connect us as humanity.

Potato culture

As we described before, potato is not just a vegetable, but through its extraordinary abilities it has grown to be part of our cultures. Potatoes appear in stories, songs (such as the Polish tune “Święto ziemniaka” – “Feast of Potato” by Franek Warzywa & Młody Budda) and even art, with Vincent van Gough painting four still-life works featuring them. 

During Shakespeare’s time, potatoes were even referred to as the “apple of love”. This cultural significance has led to unique attractions like the Potato Museum in Poznań, where visitors can create their own potato-inspired artwork. In Poland, you can also find the world’s largest potato monument in the small village of Biesiekierz. In Germany, there are yearly potato queens, being potato ambassadors. The queens are crowned for the different parts of Germany sharing the importance and amazingness of potatoes.

Beyond monuments and museums, potato fairs and festivals take place across the globe. On 30th of May we take time to celebrate one of our favourite vegetables with the International Day of Potato. Why not join in this year? Visit a potato-themed restaurant or cook your favorite potato dish with family and friends!

We never expected potatoes to be such a fascinating topic of discussion. One evening, we met in our flat and ended up talking about potatoes for at least an hour. Later, at a music festival, we even sang a Polish potato song together. Inspired by our conversation and this article, we’ve decided to celebrate Potato Day for the first time this year. Coming from different countries, our shared passion for potatoes brought us together to write this article. In the end, potatoes have a unique way to unite people.

Jakub Pokuciński & Maike Seuffert

Sources:

Idaho Potato Museum: potato facts

Cipotato: potato facts and figures

Growing minds: Potato facts

Food Republic: Things you didn’t know about potatoes

Wikipedia: History of potato

US Davis Health: Potato Health benefits