My Name is Potato

I think I have found my song. And Rita Pavone is my new favourite singer. Had a tough 24 hours and was so glad for the arrival of Shabbat. After dinner, we turned on the TV and watched a quiz show where the contestants had to rank the top ten theme tunes of Italian children's tv shows of the 1970's. And they showed 5 seconds of this song:  My name is Potato. My beloved L agrees, it's totally me (except perhaps for the moment of dated cultural insensitivity of 1977). 

As my regular visitors may know, I have a great interest in potatoes. And now I have a song.  Shabbat shalom a tutti.

translation here.

Piglet Retrospective XIII

This post is part of the Piglet Retrospective, but it is also representing comfort food. My grandmother's grandmother came from Minsk, the potato capital of all the Russias. I love potatoes in all shapes and recipes. I believe that potato is probably part of my DNA. And so, when driving through Wyoming, I felt compelled to visit Devils Tower. I did not pay the $10 entry fee to the park, because what I really wanted was this view. And what does it have to do with potatoes? 

Ha-mayvin ya-vin.

Nu, the tower plays a prominent part in Steven Spielberg's movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", an old favourite of mine. So I went to have a look, and Piglet posed.

Team Applesauce

Minor health issues meant that our first household attempt at traditional Chanukah latkes had to wait until our digestive abilities had recovered a modicum of strength. That day was today! 

L was also introduced to sour cream for the first time (it is NOT the same as yoghurt), and I made some applesauce. We are now resting on the sofa, thoroughly sated and currently feeling quite proud of ourselves.

As you can see, I am prepared to eat latkes with either topping - the German applesauce of my maternal ancestry and the dairy delight of my father's Polish heritage. If, however, I am forced to choose, then it must be Team Applesauce. Mahlzeit!

j.r.simplot r.i.p.

mister simplot was definitely not one of the world's nicest men. he fell foul of the law a couple of times for tax fraud and manipulating the stock market. i must, however, note his passing, for this man was known as the spud king of america. as you may or may not know, my grandmother's grandmother was from minsk - the potato capital of all the russias. i have a genetic love for this tuber. yahoo states in its obituary that:

"He all but invented the first commercially viable frozen french fries in the world."

actually, i am not sure whether to laud him or blame him :-)

international year of the potato 2008

o my goodness! for a woman whose grandmother's grandmother was from the city of minsk aka the potato capital of all the russias, this is wonderful news. i have dedicated my life to celebrating the versatility of this tuber, and am delighted that it has now been given the recognition it deserves.

"The potato's story begins about 8,000 years ago near Lake Titicaca, which sits at 3,800 m (12,500 ft) above sea level in the Andes mountain range of South America, on the border between Bolivia and Peru. There, research indicates, communities of hunters and gatherers who had first entered the South American continent at least 7,000 years before began domesticating wild potato plants that grew around the lake in abundance ... Planting tubers remains the most important activity of the farming year near Lake Titicaca, where the potato is known as Mama Jatha, or mother of growth. The potato remains the seed of Andean society."
the official website