Where do potatoes come from?

Potatoes have long been a familiar part of the diet of people around the world. At the same time, few people think about where this root crop comes from, and when it managed to gain such popularity.

The historical homeland of potatoes is South America.... There he is still found in the wild. Potatoes were first discovered more than 10 thousand years ago. An unusual plant with strange round roots and poisonous berries immediately interested the Indians. They tried to cultivate this plant for a long time, but they did not succeed. People could learn to plant potatoes only after 5000 years. Before planting, the potatoes were cut into several pieces. After that, he was placed briefly in a warm place. Soft pieces of tubers were planted in the soil. Thus, the Indians managed to grow a large number of potatoes using a minimum of seeds.

Local residents also discovered different methods of cooking potatoes. Usually it was baked or dried in the sun. The Indians often took tubers on various journeys. This is justified by the fact that potatoes do not spoil for a long time and remain tasty.

There is no single opinion as to who brought potatoes from his historical homeland to Europe. For years this was attributed to Admiral Drake. This fact was even indicated on a statue dedicated to the famous navigator. But this information is unreliable. The fact is that the admiral has never been to South America.

Now it is believed that the overseas vegetable was brought to Europe by one of the seafarers. It happened in the middle of the 16th century. The emergence of potatoes in European countries was treated differently.

• Spain... It was in this country that potatoes appeared first of all. In Spain, she was loved not only for its pleasant taste, but also for the appearance of the bushes. Spanish healers also used potatoes as a diuretic or wound healing agent. In general, the plants quickly gained popularity among members of different walks of life and began to be grown in large quantities.
• Germany... In this country, potatoes were considered unfit for food for many years. Initially, people believed that its use was the cause of mental clouding. Because of this, it was not used for food for a long time. But people were to blame for this themselves, because they were trying to cook not tubers, but the fruits that eventually form on the stems of plants.
• Ireland... In Ireland, potatoes took root very quickly. He got there almost at the same time as in Spain. They fell in love with potatoes because they have taken root well in all regions of the country. Therefore, it could be grown even where other vegetables could not grow. In a short time, a third of all land used for agriculture was planted with potatoes. Root crops became the basis of the diet of poor peasants and one of the symbols of Ireland. But, in addition to the obvious advantages, this fact also had a significant disadvantage. Due to the fact that potatoes were the main source of food, a year of poor harvest led to the great Irish famine. In a short time, about a quarter of the population of the entire country died from lack of food.
• England... In England, the emergence of interest in potatoes is due to the fact that the peasants growing these plants were initially encouraged with money. Even if they refused to eat the tubers, they could always be fed to animals. In the 17th century, potatoes hit the royal table. Half a century later, vegetables began to be grown for sale to other countries.
• Eastern Europe... Potatoes "arrived" in the countries of Eastern Europe in the middle of the 18th century. People did not immediately start using it for cooking. Cheap potato starch and cereals were much more popular among the locals. People began to cook dishes from tubers only in the last century.
• Estonia... Potatoes came to Estonia in the middle of the 18th century. After its spread, the locals managed to end the hunger from which they had suffered for many centuries in a row. Root crops were used both in cooking and as animal feed.

Separately, it is worth talking about the origin of the name of this root crop. The Indians called him "papa". In Europe, the name of this product has changed. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word for "underground bump". This name was chosen due to the fact that the potato has a lot in common with the truffle. This is the way of getting root crops, and their shape and color. The German name for the root crop sounds more familiar.

In France, they refused to use potatoes for food for the longest time. But in this country they also found a use for it. The French interest was attracted by the potato flowers. They were used to create bouquets or hair ornaments. These flowers were popular even among monarchs. Louis XVI attached small flowers to his uniform, and Marie Antoinette weaved them into the center of his hair. Over time, plants began to be grown in pots and in flower beds. They served as a kind of decoration for the plots.

The plant tubers were not eaten. Among the rich people it was believed that only peasants with a rough stomach could do this. But ordinary people also did not particularly want to cook dishes from a new overseas vegetable. Interest in potatoes in France was shown only in times of famine. At the end of the 18th century, people needed at least some kind of food. Therefore, they tried to find new food items. One of them was the potato. At the same time, peasants in France and other European countries for a long time refused to grow it. Therefore, the monarchs were forced to force them to do this. One of the French royal pharmacists made a special contribution to the popularization of the potato.

He planted his entire plot with potatoes, and then ordered the soldiers to guard the crops while it was growing. Thus, he managed to attract the attention of the peasants to his beds. When the potatoes grew up, the man began to let the soldiers rest at night. The peasants at this time stole potatoes and used them to prepare various dishes at home. The remnants of the harvest were collected in the presence of the French nobility. Later they were offered an unusual lunch. All dishes served at the table were prepared from potatoes grown in this area. Even the wine was made from this root vegetable.

Potatoes reached Russia during the reign of Peter I. The king tasted boiled potatoes in the Netherlands. He liked the new product, so he brought it to Russia. But local chefs did not fully understand how to properly cook this vegetable. So they boiled it and served it with sugar. Under this ruler, potatoes did not receive much popularity among the peasants. The priests even tried to prohibit the use of it in food. The tubers were called "damn apples".It was believed that every person who ate the fruits of this plant would go to hell for such a sin. Root crops began to be actively cultivated in the second half of the 19th century.

The use of potatoes for food in Russia is also associated with hunger. The peasants did not have enough food. Therefore, the government issued a decree to grow tubers. People actively abandoned this idea. They wanted to continue growing radishes and turnips on their plots. It even caused several potato riots. But all these uprisings were suppressed. Over time, the peasants were forced to grow potatoes. This was facilitated by monetary rewards. Those who took up root crops were rewarded with prizes. At the same time, ordinary people were finally explained how to cook tubers. Detailed instructions for their preparation were sent to each province for this purpose.

Later they learned to cook new dishes from potatoes. Therefore, the vegetable has become more popular. By the end of the 19th century, potatoes were grown throughout the entire Russian Empire. Since the plants adapt perfectly to any climatic conditions, they could be bred without any problems in all regions of the country. Soon, enterprises engaged in the production of alcohol and starch began to appear in the country. This has led to the fact that the area where potatoes are grown has increased significantly. But the Russian people really appreciated this plant only during the Second World War. While the country was recovering from hostilities, people did not have enough food. Therefore, the potato beds really saved the locals.

Over time, potatoes began to be called the second bread. This is due to the fact that the vegetable contains a large amount of starch. Therefore, a person who eats potatoes eats up faster and stays full longer.... In addition, this product goes well with most products. Therefore, it can be eaten by people with a wide variety of taste preferences. Now in the world there are a large number of varieties of potatoes.