POTATO
๐ฅ UNEARTHING THE POTATO ๐ฅ
Good morning ๐ friends, today let's meet an underground gem turned culinary star , the humble and versatile, Mr. Potato.
๐ฅ๐ฟThe potato ๐ฅ, often misunderstood as a root tuber, is actually an underground storage stem of the plant Solanum tuberosum. ๐ฑ✨ You can spot its "eyes," that are actually stem nodes, from which new leaves emerge, revealing its true stem nature.
๐️ Around 7,000–10,000 years ago, Native Americans in the region south of present-day Peru domesticated potatoes. ๐๐ฅ
๐ฅ๐ฟIntroduced to Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century, potatoes have since become a staple food worldwide, ranking as the 4th largest food crop after corn ๐ฝ, wheat ๐พ, and rice ๐.
๐ฅ๐ฟWhile the potato tuber itself, rich in starch, is safe for consumption, the plant's stems, leaves, and fruits contain the toxin solanine, which is harmful to humans.๐❌
๐ฅ๐ฟThe word "potato" comes from the Spanish "Patata," a hybrid of the Caribbean word "Batata" (for sweet potato) ๐ and the Peruvian "Papa" (for potato) ๐ฅ.
๐ฟDespite their visual similarities, sweet potatoes๐ and potatoes๐ฅ have distinct botanical lineages—Potato hails from Solanaceae, while Sweet Potato from Convolvulaceae.
๐ฅ๐ฟThe potato plant, a herbaceous perennial, bears simple leaves and white, pink, or purple flowers adorned with yellow stamens. Insects ๐ help in cross-pollination.
๐ฟGreen cherry tomato-like๐ fruits emerge, each housing around 300 seeds. Yet, beware—they're toxic and inedible. When propagating, tubers are the reliable choice over seeds.
๐ฅ๐จ๐ณRemember, potatoes should always be cooked, never consumed raw, as raw potato starch is tough on human digestion.
๐ฅ๐ฟPotatoes are used in various cuisines across the globe today.
From its indigenous origins to potato wedges and fries ๐ of modern food chains, the potato has come a long way to become the evergreen global favourite . ๐๐ฅ Now that sounds like an inspiring ,rags to riches ,story of a versatile tuber! ๐๐ฅ๐ฝ️
Reference
Plants of Singapore
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