The origin of the potato is very ancient. One of its merits and the reason for its success is the ease with which it is cultivated: it grows at any latitude, in different climatic conditions, and in some cases even extreme ones.
The potato is a tuber (of the species Solanum tuberosum) that is edible only after cooking. One of the merits of potatoes and the reason for their success is the ease with which they are cultivated: they grow at any latitude, in different climatic conditions, and in some cases even extreme ones, and they do not need much soil. Furthermore, if stored well, they can even last for 6 months. For this reason as well, 368 million tons of potatoes are produced worldwide every year on a total surface area of 195 thousand km2. The origin of the potato is very ancient. Born in the Andes, it was domesticated in the region of Lake Titicaca and became one of the main foods of the Incas, who developed a large number of varieties to adapt it to the different environments of the regions they inhabited.
The first Europeans to know the potato were the Spanish conquistadors of Peru, but the first varieties imported from South America were poorly suited for cultivation in European climates and yielded scarce crops. The potato established itself in Europe only starting from the mid-18th century, when the rapid population growth, with the increased need for food, made the adoption of crops with higher yields, such as the potato itself, necessary. The Marxist philosopher Friedrich Engels maintained that, in terms of historical importance, the potato was equal to iron. Without it, the Industrial Revolution would never have happened, because workers in Northern England would not have had the calories—and therefore the energy—necessary to work.
PROPERTIES, BENEFITS, AND CURIOSITIES
The potato is available throughout the year, thanks to its long and easy preservation. However, depending on the variety to which it belongs, it is harvested in different periods. It begins in spring, between the months of March and June, with new potatoes, the earliest ones. It then continues in the hot summer months of July-August, finally arriving in September with the later varieties. As its origin testifies, the potato prefers a mild climate and fears both excessive heat and excessive cold; in particular, frosts are its enemies, as they irreversibly halt the development of the tuber.
HOW TO TASTE IT
Follow us on Instagram and discover every month recipes that celebrate the hazelnut in all its forms, unconventional proposals to be paired with DUBL Edition, Metodo Classico. From the most traditional to the most creative preparations, a journey through flavors, aromas, and textures that will make this small, extraordinary fruit the protagonist in every dish.
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