Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-21
FACTS ABOUT POTATOES.
Cooking the Only Sure Test of Quail
ity-A Bit of History.


in its origin. AS matter of fact says
a writer in the Steward, it is a native
of the United States and wasn't known
in Europe until after Columbus had
discovered America. 1t is also native
to South America and has been grow
growing wild both in Chill and BueneS
Ayres.
1t was first shipped to Spain from
the neighborhood of Quito in the early
part of the 18th century; first to Eng
land from Virginia in 1886. Sir Wal
ter Raleigh first planted it in Ireland
on his estate Of Youghal, near the city
of Cork. In 1881 it was first planted
in Lancashire, Eng, from Sir Walter
Raleigh's gardens.
Sir Walter Raleighs experience was
that he considered. with other people,
that the potato WAS a fruit (pomme'
de terre) apple of the earth,' and
when the plant grew and the seed
stock shot forth he perceived the seed
balls upon them and concluded that
they were delicious fruit and upon
boiling them found they were not like
what lie had had, and only discovered
lis mistake when digging up, the
ground for other purposes.
Sir Walter upon experimenting found
that treble the quantity of potatoes
could be raised from the same parcel
of ground as of any other vegetable,
and Immediately the potato became
the principal food of the Irish peas
antry. 5.-s
Parmentiere, the great F'renchman.
-. Al T,,tO
der great difficulties. He wanted the
French people to adopt the potato as
food, but they would not even taste
it until conniving with the authorities
he succeeded in fooling them into u.s.
ing the potato.
He planted a garden in potatoes and
made big ito do" about them until
they were ripe. He then was allowed
detachment of soldiers to guard
them. The common people got inter-.
ested and stole the potatoes from the
garden and France became a potato
eating country.
The German story of the potato is
not known, but it it is a great kartoffie
producing and kartoffie eating nation
and has given to America the Ger
man potato salad r eat.
r. Bermuda and the West India Is
lands have heen the source of supply
for many years, but ecnew source has
recently developed called the EARLY
Garden of the United States" which
is the Gulf Coast country of southern
Texas. "E
,Fhe first new potatoes that come
from this locality earlier even than
A.. e
el. When they made their first APP
peafanee the whole Northern trade
was surprised. Shortly after the new
potato appears the price drors to Sl,25e
bushel by the carload.
The only way to test a potato so
You will know to a certainty what It
is and what it will do is to cook it,.
Mashed potatoes and baked potatoes
have been harped on so much in .h.s
country that the stewards have lost
sight of every other kind of potato.
For every kind of cooking, they have
been picking out a white, mealy vari-
ETY. that will fluff up when mashed and
be white and 1aky when baked, and
burst open like popcorn when boiled.
Then they wonder why the saute po-
tatoes are not good and that they
can't get hashed Drowned out of the
kitchen without being all mashed up.
For the potatoes which are TO be
cooked up light buy the kind that will,
when cut in two. stick together. They
will make fiuffy-ruffie potatoes, but
when you want potatoes which, when
cooked, will hold their shape, and do
things in the manner you want them
to, buy yellow ones that won't stick
together.
Potatoes cooked in dry heat, as by
baking in the oven, roasting in ashes,
| frying in deep fat. or steamed in their
| jackets, retain all their good qualities
| and navors very much more than
| those cooked in water, but potatoes 50
cooked must be served just as soon
| as they are done Cooked to order) or
| they will become soggy and bad fla
| Vored.
| have heard the story, but have
| never seen the act, Of putting little
| old potatoes through a solution which
| is said to loosen the skin so that when
| the buyer comes along TO purchase
| new potatoes he is shown the old ones,
! and he naturally tests the skin to see
| if it will serape easily This will do
| to tell, but l can't see the possibility
| of such an occurrence.