Time for spuds
I urge home gardeners or anyone with even a small scrap of land to plant a few spuds, the simple pleasure of planting in rich friable soil and then about one month later, sheer joy when you carefully dig under the stalk to reveal a whole cluster of potatoes underneath pure magic.
Straight into the kitchen, a quick scrub and into the pot. Try cooking them in sea water occasionally if you live close to the coast.
Otherwise eat them with rich Irish butter and flakes of Maldon Sea Salt.
This is the food that nourished our ancestors and played such a pivotal role in our history. This simple tuber which originated in the Andes was in domestic use in Peru by 3000 BC. It was introduced to Ireland by Sir Walter Raleigh. He apparently planted some tubers at Myrtle Grove, his property in Youghal, Co Cork, when he stopped off on his return to Britain after an expedition to do battle with the Spaniards in the Caribbean.
The potato revolutionised Western civilisation as dramatically as the motor car. Originally it was regarded as food suitable only for pigs and peasants. Later, in great measure due to Antoine Auguste Parmentier, a French pharmacist, it became fashionable and chic. Convinced of its nutritional benefits be gave a court dinner at which he served potatoes at every course. Its popularity was assured when he managed to persuade Marie Antoinette to wear potato flowers in her hair. To this day when you see Parmentier on a French menu, it indicates that the dish includes potato. Once introduced, the potato quickly became a staple, nutritious, delicious, easy to cook, suitable for both animals and humans. It can be a delicacy or fast food. From the cook's perspective it is uniquely versatile. With a little ingenuity it can even be very successfully used in sweet as well as savoury dishes.
After its introduction to Ireland the potato became the staple and was credited for the population explosion by 1840 an estimated nine million people lived in Ireland. The potato was virtually the sole nourishment of millions of people so when the crop failed from 1845 to 1848, it resulted in devastation all over the country. Over a million people perished and there was mass emigration to America. A salutary lesson for mankind not to rely on a single crop or variety as food stuff.
Well, back to the kitchen think about planting potatoes yourself, otherwise seek out Irish potatoes that have been grown with little or no artificial nitrogen. You'll need to pay a little more but the result will be delicious floury potatoes. Note the variety and notice the difference in flavour and texture. I love Golden Wonders and Kerr's Pinks at the moment but the season is coming to an end and we'll soon have the new potatoes.
