Potato in the life of a modern person is a familiar root crop, dishes from which are present on the table of an ordinary person almost daily. Relatively recently, potatoes were considered a rarity, and food made from them was a delicacy. We are so used to it that we don’t even think about the country in which potatoes were first grown.
Origin story
For the first time, potatoes were discovered by Europeans (military expedition) at the beginning of the 15th century in the territory of modern Peru (South America). It was on this territory that about 15 thousand years ago the Indians began the process of domesticating 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 valley of the Cauca River (the territory of modern Ecuador). The Indians called them "Papa". Pedro wrote about this in his book and called potatoesa special kind of peanuts, which after cooking become soft and taste like baked chestnuts. Each harvest was accompanied by a religious holiday, the Indians honored and respected the potato, because it was the main food, and the cultivation of potatoes was the main occupation. The Indians saw something divine in everything, so potato tubers became an object 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 thousand years ago.
The emergence of potatoes in Europe
Europe knew the potato in 1565. The first were the Spaniards. They didn't like it, probably because they tried to eat it raw. In the same year, the tubers were brought to Italy and were nicknamed "tartufolli", for the same resemblance to truffles. The Germans changed the name to "tartofel", well, and then its usual name appeared - potatoes. A few years later, the tubers get to Belgium, a little later to France. In Germany, the potato did not take root immediately, it became especially in demand in 1758-1763, when the country was seized by famine caused by the war. People ate it and had no idea which country first started growing potatoes.
Appearance in Russia
In our country, the appearance of potatoes is associated with the king-reformer Peter I. Europe was his weakness, he dragged everything European into the country - customs, clothes, food. He also brought potatoes. There is an opinion 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 first began to grow potatoes. But the king threatened the peasants with the death pen alty - so everyone began to grow it.
The merits of the root crop would have been forgotten if not for the hungry war years. It gradually introduced itself into the diet of the Russian people; by the middle of the 18th century, the peasants already called it “the 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 at the beginning of the 20th century proved that his homeland was South America. At the time of the discovery of the central and northern parts of America, they knew nothing about potatoes.
Potato Dishes
In Peru, where they first started growing potatoes, they prepare a traditional dish from it - chuño. Simply put, these are canned potatoes. This country has a hot climate, so residents need to save the harvest for the future. Chuno is stored 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. The frozen tubers are then 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 whole tubers on charcoal. In addition, it is used to prepare stuffing for baking, add to salads, prepare all kinds of side dishes. Sometimes, when asked in which country they began to grow potatoes, I want to answer: “In Russia!”, It has taken root and become familiar.
