When is National Potato Month?
National Potato Month is always the month of September
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What is a potato?
Potato (informally tattie, tater, spud, tato, pota, spudzie or tate) is the term which applies either to the starchy, tuberous root vegetable crop from the various subspecies of the perennial plant Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, or to the plant itself. In the region of the Andes, the word is also used to refer to other closely-related species of the genus Solanum.
Potato is the world's most widely grown tuber crop, and the fourth largest food crop in terms of fresh produce — after rice, wheat, and maize (corn).
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Potatoes and nutrition
Potatoes contain a number of important vitamins and minerals. A medium potato (150g/5.3 oz) with the skin provides 27 mg vitamin C (45% of the Daily Value (DV)), 620 mg of potassium (18% of DV), 0.2 mg vitamin B6 (10% of DV) and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Moreover, the fiber content of a potato with skin (2 grams) equals that of many whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals. In addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber, potatoes also contain an assortment of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and polyphenols. The notion that “all of the potato’s nutrients” are found in the skin is an urban legend. While the skin does contain approximately half of the total dietary fiber, the majority (more than 50%) of the nutrients are found within the potato itself. The cooking method used can significantly impact the nutrient availability of the potato.
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How are potatoes eaten?
Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to break down the starch. Most potato dishes are served hot, but some are first cooked then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips/crisps.
Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided that they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping—this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient.
Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.
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Poem:
Potatoes Potatoes are my favorite thing
Author: Pamela Svoboda/Gone-ta-pott.com
Potatoe's Potatoe's are my favorite things.
Baked, fried or mashed up with cream.
Potatoe's Potatoe's are simply divine-
It's smooth in the mouth & it ads to the thighs.
Potatoe's Potatoe's are white, beige or cream-
The colors don't matter as long as not green.
Potatoe's Potatoe's, add butter to taste-
A little bit of salt and elastic in the waist.
Potato's Potato's, I eat them each day-
Baked, fried or any oh way.
The poem above says it all. Potatoes are a favorite food for many people and most potato loving households tell us that they can eat the potato at every meal. The potato is so versatile that it can be eaten many different ways.
- You can bake it for that yummie baked flavor with butter and sour cream on top,
- deep fry it for french fries and eat it crispy with catchup or vinegar on the side.
- You can slice it very thin, bake it or fry it and serve it as salty potato chips as a snack.
- You can serve it as creamy mashed potatoes with cream, garlic, chives or cheese mixed right in.
- Baked as a potato casserole.
Now don't forget about the potato at breakfast. We could never do without our homemade biscuits and potato home fries in the south. The potato can even be grated up and serve as hashbrowns, served with grated cheese sprinkled on top and melted.
"Potato's Potato's, I eat them each day- Baked, fried or any oh way."
The potato is always most accommodating.
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Popular Potatoes
