The short answer is: Not much. Potatoes feature prominently in many an edible dish, and there are old wives’ tales about how raw potatoes placed on the inflicted skin can heal bruises and sprains, or even reduce dark circles under the eyes. For all its capabilities, the humble starch (technically a starchy veggie) has even garnered an exposé in Smithsonian magazine. So, from the chips you snack on while binge-watching Netflix to the purple variety in local-style Okinawan sweet potato haupia pie, we at Crave celebrate the potato and share some of our favorite ways to indulge.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment in time that a particular food was discovered, but many trace wild potato species back to what is modern-day Peru. In fact, the South American country is home to the International Potato Center, where nearly 5,000 varieties have been preserved. Potatoes are tubers, in the same family as cassava and dahlias, and have the unique ability to thrive underground. Instead of growing upward to break soil, tubers grow underground, safe from wind, rain, scavengers and sun. (Its robust nature is probably why they were the crop of choice for Matt Damon to grow on Mars in 2015’s The Martian.)
The U.S. has nowhere near the amount as the tuber-centric treasury, but there is a fair share of variety. Everyone has their preference, whether it’s russets and fingerlings or Yukon gold in colors like reds, yellows, whites, oranges and purples. Just as varied as the shapes, textures and colors are the ways in which potatoes are used for sustenance.
Roasted in a pan or oven, or cooked over a grill, potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to proteins and veggies, adding a bit of substance to the meal. They’re even added to soups — like Hawaii-style Portuguese bean soup — or sometimes are the soup itself (topped with ample amounts of cheese and bacon bits, of course).
Amateur cooks (and even some professional chefs) who like to whip things up in the kitchen know how useful potatoes can be in desalinating soups and stews, as well as acting as thickeners for gravies and stews. Potato flour, meanwhile, is a versatile ingredient perfect for breading.
Potatoes aren’t common salad toppings, but there are some restaurants, like Angelo Pietro, that go all out and make the spud the whole salad. The Kaimuki restaurant shaves raw potatoes (about as thin as noodles) and serves them along with its line of local-style dressings, trans-forming the often-thought-of heavy starch into something light and refreshing.
The sides, though, are where the potato shines. No plate lunch would be complete without potato mac salad, and burgers aren’t the same without french fries (of which there are even more variety in waffle, steak, crinkle-cut, etc.). Prepare them au gratin at your next potluck, or dress them up hasselback-style. Or, have a DIY baked potato party during which everyone brings their own toppings. Plus, all that turkey and gravy you’ll be savoring this holiday season beg for company from buttery mashed potatoes.
Speaking of the holidays, when you’re enjoying mistle toe martinis and peppermint cosmos — or just sipping on your favorite vodka and mixer of choice — remember to thank the ubiquitous potato.
See? Not much a potato can’t be.
