The potato, the most versatile food in the worldThere is no doubt about it; the potato must be the most versatile food. How many other foods are regularly consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner? We know its cousin the tomato, the aubergine and the pepper. I can't think of a food product used in so many different ways, mashed, fried, boiled, au gratin, chips and how about even Vodka. They have proven invaluable in feeding the world's hungry. The potato is native to the Andes of South America, in what is now Peru and Bolivar. They were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. It took more than 200 years for them to become a staple of the European diet. According to Agriculture Canada, the top 5 potato producing countries are China, India, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States. The US Potato Board reports that the global land area devoted to potato cultivation measures approximately 74K square metres. miles, an area larger than all the New England states combined. Depending on the variety, growers can achieve a yield of 30-40 thousand pounds per acre. 90% of all potatoes grown fall into 3 varieties. Rust, round white and round red. Luther Burbank found a single mutation of a potato in his garden in 1872. He saved it and planted it the next year, after which he grew 23 new plants. From these 23 plants, the Russet potato emerged as the most planted potato in the world. , did you know that 85% of the potato plant is edible compared to only 50% of grains such as wheat and oats, although the potato leaves are poisonous. The potato is actually an underground stalk, emerging from each eye is a stalk seeking sunlight. Once these initial stems reach the surface and begin to photosynthesize... half the paper... tar is combined with other materials such as wheat and rice, water is added to create a paste, this paste is pressed through a mold and then dried, the result is a perfectly shaped Pringle. Dehydrated potatoes are also what many of us know as instant potatoes. Just add a little water and we have instant mashed potatoes. Dehydrated potatoes play an important role in feeding the hungry around the world. Potato starch is combined with other nutritional ingredients such as rice and vitamins to form a highly nutritious food supplement to feed the hungry. Thanks to its light weight, 1 million servings of food can be shipped in a 40-foot container. Once the destination is reached, water is added to form a healthy nutritional supplement. Next time you prepare potatoes, think about how diverse this wonderful vegetable is. Could I have some extra sour cream, please??