The potato plant is a native of the Peruvian Andes and it was taken to other parts of the world by explorers. It is propagated by planting the tuber or a section of the tuber containing what is referred to as an ‘eye’ – an undeveloped bud. Cuttings from the sprouts are also used to cultivate new varieties. Controlled pollination results in seeds, which yield better varieties.

Depending upon the type of soil they are planted in, potatoes differ in taste and texture. Rich sandy loamy soil produces a light mealy potato and heavy moist soils produce a firm tuber.

Potatoes are an important source of carbohydrate. In fact, about 75 per cent of the dry weight is made up of carbohydrates. When freshly dug, the potato contains 78 per cent water, 18 per cent starch and some protein, a small amount of ash and only 0.1 per cent fat.

Potato plants

One popular form of consuming potatoes is in the form of potato chips. There is an interesting story attached to how the potato chips came in to being. The French had discovered that potatoes taste heavenly when deep-fried. Thomas Jefferson agreed wholeheartedly and being very impressed by its taste took it back with him to America. There, deep-fried potatoes albeit thick chunks of it found a place of honor at the White House table.

A few different versions exist as to how they manifested into the thinly sliced crisp variety that we keep on dipping our hands into. It is believed that a dissatisfied customer in a restaurant sent back his deep fried potatoes to the kitchen and asked for them to be improved.  The chef did not take very kindly to the suggestion and out of spite sliced the potatoes thinly and deep-fried them. And viola! The potato chip was born. Undoubtedly the chips must have satisfied the

       Potato chips

customer’s taste.  The year 1890 saw the first potato chip factory and the year 1929 witnessed the advent of the continuous fryer, and potato chips have never looked back since.