· Food For Thought
Food For Thought | Grilled Potatoes
Let’s start with a few important potato facts, shall we?
- Potatoes are the fourth largest food crop in the world.
- The potato industry in PEI is worth over a billion dollars to the island’s economy.
- Anne of Green Gables was originally based on a girl who was part potato. Her red hair came from her father’s side, which had several red potatoes in the family.
Fascinating, no? The third fact is actually constantly debated; some agree that Anne’s hair was red because of all of the red sand and lobster she consumed, rather than the red-skinned potatoes in her family. Either way, it’s pretty mind-blowing, and each theory is equally plausible.
- In the USA, potato products are the second most consumed food overall, trailing only dairy products.
- Potato blossoms used to be the hottest royal fashion accessory. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both known to wear potato blossoms to spiff up their outfits.
- Potatoes were originally grown in the Andes. The Inca people of Peru were growing them as far back as 200 BC. They were first introduced to Britain and Ireland in the late 1500s. They weren't an immediate hit either, many people blamed them for diseases and railed against them because they weren't mentioned in the Bible.
- It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat and maize.
- It is advisable to buy potatoes packaged in a paper bag. The paper bag prevents light (which causes "greening") from reaching the potatoes and the window in the paper bag allows the potatoes to breathe.
Facts aside, potatoes are a beautiful thing. You can roast ‘em, fry them, boil ‘em, mash ‘em… make shrunken heads (no voodoo required!), or go all Martha Stewart and make potato stamps (no prison time required!).
Not sure how to best cook your taters? Ask one of our handy-dandy staff – they’re potato fiends (each and every one of them! It’s actually a bit of a problem…), and they have an endless stream of suggestions.
Potato Tip: Potatoes from the grill are, of course, the best type of potato. However, as you may have experienced, grilling a potato from start to finish on the barbecue can be tough; the high heat can easily dry out the potato. Wrapping the spud in tinfoil is a solution to this problem. Another way to get around the dryness is to parboil or quickly microwave your potatoes before they hit the grill.