Potatoes are among the world's most important food crops, along with corn, wheat, and rice. And Americans consume more of the humble spud than they do any other vegetable. That's because potatoes are easy to grow and versatile in the kitchen, so says David Joachim and Andrew Schloss in "The Science of Cooking Potatoes."
So in the next few posts I will take a closer look at potatoes and perhaps we will all come away with a greater respect for them.
Most people believe that the potato is a root, since it is often classified as a root vegetable, like turnips, beets and carrots. But potatoes are actually a stem. The leaves of the potato plant manufacture starch, which is transferred through the plant to its underground stems, known as stolons, forming swollen sections called tubers. That it actually what a potato is.
Each potato has several buds, or eyes, that can grow new plants. When your potatoes sprout during storage, they're using available light and stored starch--the same starch that becomes deliciously creamy when cooked--to grow a new plant.
Rich in nutrients, the average 8 ounce potato provides about 35 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 11 milligrams of vitamin C, and 350 milligrams of potassium. That's a lot to love about the potato!
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