Some trivia for today’s potato celebration…
Germany’s King Frederick William realized that potatoes were a good food source and ordered peasants to plant and eat potatoes or their noses would be cut off.
French Fries were introduced to the U.S. when Thomas Jefferson served them in the White House during his Presidency of 1801-1809.
In 1853 railroad magnate Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt complained that his potatoes were cut too thick and sent them back to the kitchen at a fashionable resort in Saratoga Springs, NY. To spite his haughty guest, Chef George Crum sliced some potatoes paper thin, fried them in hot oil, salted and served them. To everyone’s surprise, Vanderbilt loved his “Saratoga Crunch Chips,” and potato chips have been popular ever since.
In 2008, more than 1 million acres of potatoes were planted (that’s like the whole state of Rhode Island completely full of potato plants.) That year’s harvest yeilded 41.3 BILLION pounds of potatoes.
Closer to home… the average american consumes 125 pounds of potatoes a year.
It’s also:
- World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
- Lock Your Meds Day
- American Beer Day
