Potato in the life of a modern person is a familiar root crop, the dishes of which are present on the table of an ordinary person almost daily. More recently, potatoes were considered a rarity, and the food prepared from it was a delicacy. We are so used to it that we don’t even think about in which country they first started to grow potatoes.
Origin history
The potato was first discovered by Europeans (military expedition) at the beginning of the 15th century on the territory of modern Peru (South America). It was on this territory about 15 thousand years ago that the Indians began the process of domestication of wild tubers. The find was called truffles, because they looked very much like mushrooms. A little later, another traveler - Pedro Ciesa de Leon - discovered fleshy tubers in the Cauca River Valley (the territory of modern Ecuador). The Indians called them "dad." Pedro wrote about this in his book and called potatoes a special kind of peanuts, which after cooking become soft and taste like baked chestnut. Each harvest was accompanied by a religious holiday, the Indians honored and respected potatoes, because it was the main food, and the cultivation of potatoes was the main occupation. The Indians saw something divine in everything, and therefore potato tubers became a subject of worship.
It should be noted that wild potatoes are still found in Peru today, but cultivated varieties are already very different from it. Despite the fact that it began to be cultivated 15 thousand years ago, it became a full-fledged agricultural crop about 5 millennia ago.
The emergence of potatoes in Europe
Europe learned potatoes in 1565. The first were the Spaniards. They did not like them, probably because they tried to eat it raw. In the same year, tubers were brought to Italy and nicknamed it “Tartufolli”, for the same resemblance to truffles. The Germans changed the name to “potato”, and then its usual name appeared - potatoes. A few years later, the tubers arrive in Belgium, a little later in France. In Germany, potatoes did not take root immediately, it became especially popular in 1758-1763, when the country was seized by the famine caused by the war. People ate them and had no idea in which country they first began to grow potatoes.
Appearance in Russia
In our country, the appearance of potatoes is associated with the reformer king Peter I. Europe was his weakness, he dragged everything European into the country - customs, clothes, food. He brought potatoes. It is believed that Peter sent the first bag of potatoes from Holland to Russia and ordered Count Sheremetyev to distribute it. Allegedly, the history of potatoes in our country began with this bag. At first, the Russians did not accept the new vegetable and were not interested in which country they first began to grow potatoes. But the king threatened the peasants with the death penalty - so everyone began to grow it.
The merits of the root crop would be forgotten if not for the hungry war years. It was gradually introduced into the diet of Russian people; by the middle of the 18th century, peasants already called it “second bread” and grew it on a voluntary basis. Root crops quickly adapted to the climate. Later, even the poorest people had potatoes on the table. Most Russian scientists wondered in which country they first began to grow potatoes, but expeditions from the beginning of the 20th century proved that South America was its homeland. At the time of the discovery of the central and northern parts of America, they knew nothing about potatoes.
Potato dishes
In Peru, where potatoes were first grown, a traditional dish, chuno, is prepared from it. Simply put, these are canned potatoes. This country has a hot climate, so residents need to keep the crop for future use. Chunyo is kept for several years and nothing happens to him. The recipe for its preparation is extremely simple: the potatoes are first laid out on straw and left overnight. Then, frozen tubers are crushed to remove excess moisture and dried in the sun.
In Russia, a huge number of dishes are prepared from potatoes, the most familiar of which is mashed potatoes. Potatoes are also baked, fried, boiled, steamed and baked with whole tubers on coals. In addition, it is used to prepare the filling for baking, add to salads, and prepare all kinds of side dishes. Sometimes, when asked about the country in which they began to grow potatoes, I would like to answer: “In Russia!”, It took root and became familiar.