The Irish hungered after it... Dan Quayle couldn't spell it...
Russian cooks swear by it...
and China is its biggest producer.
Now the potato is at the root of an Andean war of words over where exactly it originated.
Peru and Chile, longtime rivals, are each laying claim to the humble vegetable, which experts agree is indigenous to South America and was spread to Europe by Spanish colonists in the 16th century.
At stake is the reflected glory of being the home of the "patata" (or "papa" in the Quechua language of the Andes), celebrated this year in the UN Year of the Potato.
Chile brought the dispute to a boil by disputing the bulk of scientific evidence. The Agriculture Minister then stated that in fact the potato first sprouted on Chile's southern Chiloé Island. The blowback from Peru was predictably starchy, stating that "the potato has its origins in Peru near Lake Titicaca and Chile's variety is nothing more than 'a little grandchild' of Peru's great and original potato. Read the whole article here
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Good grief! Can't we all get along and just enjoy the potato, instead of fighting over its origin?
(photo taken in Antofagasta, Chile, in Jan. '07...and man was it GOOD!)
3 comments:
Wow, what an argument. All I know is that potatoes are one of the best foods on the planet no matter where they're from! Hard to imagine life without 'em.
Dave,
I can't believe you would post such a good picture without also including a receipe? It all looks real good.
Nate
Vivan las papas!!!!!!!
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