Potato Power

The Everlasting Relationship Between Ireland and the Potato

Presented by Allison and Sara

The importance of the potato to Ireland

Food differences between the rich and poor

Proper potato growth

What You Will Learn

The NH curriculum guidelines that will be met in this

presentation include: Nutrition: 5. Food safety Students need to know: 5.1 Importance of Cleanliness 5.2 Safe Food Preparation, Serving and Storage 3.Influences on Food Choice: 3.4 Cultural Influences 2. Environmental Health and Resource Conservation: 2.4 Interrelationship of the Health of a Community and the

Global Environment 2.6 Effects of the Environment on the Food Chain

The NH curriculum guidelines that will be met in this presentation

include:

Hot Potato

Arrived in Europe from South America in 1570 When potato arrived the population in Ireland was 1

million, by the year 1840 the population had grown to around 8 million

It produced a large bounty that could be stored and eaten throughout winter months

The potato was the main staple and was what the poor primarily ate

A poor farmer could grow the potatoes his family needed on just half an acre of land

It is estimated that the average family of four, two adults and two children, ate on average 5 lbs. of potatoes a day or 5 tons a year

Ireland and the Potato

Calories/ Energy Mostly Carbohydrates Some Protein Little to No Fat Some Vitamins Some Minerals

What’s in a Potato?

Source: www.gardening.ktsa.com

Most Common meal compliments to the

potato Herring (protein) Milk (with potato for a dairy source)

Less Common foods Rabbit Bird Nuts Berries Wild mushrooms Not a lot of varied eating

What the Poor Ate

Source: www.thefishsociety.co.uk

Most common meal compliments to the

potato Cultivated vegetables Pork Mutton Colcannon-potato with cabbage Irish stew- potatoes with meat and vegetables Black pudding- ox blood and oatmeal

Less common Spices, herbs Eating a variety

What the Rich Ate

Source: www.laverstokepark.co.uk

Growth of a Potato

Source : Sustenibilidad Indigena blog

Growth of a Potato

Source: Irish Eyes-Garden City Seeds

Growth of a Potato

Potatoes thrive in loose, well-drained slightly acid soil

(pH 5-6) Plant only certified potato tubers with a bud (eye) called

seeds Seed potatoes should be about size of an egg with at

least one eye Seed pieces planted only 4 inches below soil surface,

rows 36 inches apart, and plants 6 inches apart

Potato Planting

Source:Blogthefarm.wordpress.com

Sprout development. The eyes of the potato grow

sprouts, which then break through the topsoil. Vegetative growth. The leaves, stems, and root system

develop, photosynthesis begins, and the plant begins to store nutrients in tubers.

Tuber initiation. Tubers begin forming the underground stems called stolons, generally before the plant flowers.

Tuber bulking. Tubers grow larger as the sugars and starches accumulate.

Maturation. The tubers reach full size. The top of the plant wilts and dies. During maturation, the tuber skin toughens, which enhances storage life.

Only plant certified seeds

Growth Cycle

WASH YOUR HANDS! Read recipe carefully, see what you need Prepare ingredients safely Follow directions/methods in order

Food Demo

Source:www.tarasmulticulturaltable.com

Prep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesYield: Serves 4 as a side dish.For a variation, sub out half of the potatoes with parsnips. Can add chives, leeks, or bacon too.INGREDIENTS

4 russet potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into large chunksSalt5-6 Tbsp unsalted butter (with more butter for serving)3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green3 green onions (including the green onion greens), minced (about 1/2 cup)1 cup milk or cream

METHOD1 Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender (15 to 20 minutes). Drain in a colander.2 Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and once it's hot, add the greens. Cook the greens for 3-4 minutes, or until they are wilted and have given off some of their water. Add the green onions and cook 1 minute more.3 Pour in the milk or cream, mix well, and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter in the center. Adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Colcannon Cooking

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/colcann

on/

http://www.dochara.com

http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/irish_potato_famine.cfm

Sources

Go raibh maith agat!Thank you