OPINION
I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.
Whether it’s mashed, smashed, baked, loaded baked, scalloped, salad, in a frittata, as a pancake, cheesed, mixed with spinach and cottage cheese or flaked and used as a coating for fish.
Nor does the color matter, bring them all on.
Potatoes are kind of like eggs and can go with just about anything.
Did you know that parts of potato plants are toxic or even a potato itself can contain green portions that can cause an indigestion problem?
Potatoes are from the nightshade family of plants and are relatives of tomatoes, peppers (sweet or chili), eggplants, and tobacco.
I have known for many years that you should not eat the green portion of the potato, but I learned something new and very intriguing recently.
I had pulled a potato out of the sack to bake when I noticed that there were sections of green under the skin.
I decided I would lay it out on the counter and let it ripen, just like you would with a banana or an apple.
I left it out for a week, checked to see if it had ripened but discovered that the whole potato had turned green under the skin.
I just thought that I hadn’t noticed how much green there was.
So, I left it out another week.
After that week I discovered it was even greener.
I decided it was time to do a little research and find out why my potato was getting greener instead of riper.
Turns out that when a potato is subjected to light, as opposed to being buried underground, it begins the process of photosynthesis, producing chlorophyll.
This process would, normally, be carried out by the leaves.
That potato is now going to be turned into my starters for potatoes in the garden this spring.
I also learned that potatoes were indigenous to the Americas and were unknown until the discovery of the new world to Europe, Africa and Asia.
I knew that corn was indigenous to the Americas but not potatoes.
We sure have done a lot with the potato, and I’m sure glad it’s in my life.
The moral of this story is to keep your potatoes in a cool, dark place until using and never eat the leaves or stems. If there is slight green under the skin, cut that portion away or if baking it, don’t eat that area that is normally just under the skin.
For me, Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t be the same without mashed potatoes and gravy and all the fixin’s.
If your traditional dinner asks for potatoes of a different flavor, I still cheer that potato on to your table.
I’ve known people who’ve had potato salad for Thanksgiving— good for you.
Along with celebrating the season with our favorite foods, let’s all enjoy having family and friends around us.
Celebrate those that you love.
Give thanks that they are in your life.
There are lots of people out there who have no one during this holiday.
Is there someone out there that you could invite to your celebration so that they’re not alone?
Or is there a family that you could purchase the fixin’s for this year?
Include someone who is in need and be blessed by the blessing you give.
If you’re going away for the holiday, be sure to include an individual or a family you know in the given blessing around the table you’re sharing with others.
That’s how the first Thanksgiving became a popular tradition.
People who came together giving thanks for each other (they would not have survived without that community), their crops, their livestock or the fish and wildlife provided to them.
Tell one and all you love them and that you’re grateful they’re in your life.
And when you take a bite of that potato or any other thing that is your favorite, think of someone you love who’s not there and bless them.
Bon appetit, everyone, and I hope you have your best potatoed Thanksgiving ever.
Cindy “Mama C” Faris is a Pilot Point resident and she is offering life advice for any who want it. She can be reached at [email protected].
