Posted on 03/31/2023 6:07:03 AM PDT by Red Badger
(Last Updated On: March 24, 2023)
If you like your spuds, National Tater Day on March 31st is for you! The day recognizes all kinds of potatoes which provide us with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
#NationalTaterDay
Potatoes are quite versatile, which might explain why so many people like them. They are the number one consumed vegetable in the United States. And when you consider how many ways we can eat the over 200 different kinds of potatoes in the United States, you shouldn’t be surprised.
First off, we can bake them. Who doesn’t like a baked potato? Yeah, we see you in back. Put your hand down. The rest of us absolutely love the baked spud. Plus those baked potatoes? You can bake them twice with all sorts of delicious toppings. Twice! Secondly, we can boil them. And from the boiled potatoes we can make soups, salads, or make one of the world’s all-time favorite potato dishes – mashed potatoes. And did you know, mashed potatoes have numerous different recipes, too? You can’t have shepherd’s pie without mashed potatoes. Dice them and slice them and we can make scalloped, fried, or even hashbrowns. And then, there’s potato dumplings and pancakes.
Beyond all the ways we use potatoes, this day may have originally had a different meaning. At the beginning of April, parts of Kentucky celebrated the sweet potato (Tater Day). Sweet potatoes are one of the main cash crops in that area. Tater Day started way back in the early 1840s with the trading and selling of sweet potatoes. It is the oldest continuous trade day in the United States.
Worldwide, there are more than four thousand potato varieties.
Since the time potatoes were shipped from Europe to the colonies in the early 17th century, their consumption has been a major part of the North American diet.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL TATER DAY
Have your potato, tater, or spud the way you like it.
Sprinkle them with herbs, cheese, or just a hint of salt.
Try a new recipe.
What’s really important is that you celebrate this humble vegetable.
Share your favorite potato recipe.
Use #NationalTaterDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL TATER DAY HISTORY
The day may have originated in Kentucky where they have celebrated Tater Day for some time. However, our research was unable to find the creator of National Tater Day.
Tater FAQ
Q. Where is the world’s largest potato?
A. Potatoes are a popular record goal for people around the world. Not only do they try to out-grow the competition, but people also try to out-bake, out-peel and out-serve potatoes. Check out these potato-related records:
2011 – Peter Glazebrook of the UK grows the world’s heaviest potato weighing in at 10 pounds 14 ounces (4.98 kilograms).
2012 – Have you ever tried to peel a potato in one long, continuous strip? If so, your new challenge is to achieve the longest potato peel. The current record is held by Alastair Galpin of New Zealand. His peel came in at 5 feet 2.28 inches (1.582 meters) long.
2016 – Feuerwehr Dettingen cooked the world’s largest potato pancake. The Dettinggen, Germany pancake measured 7 feet 11 inches (2.42 meters) in diameter.
2020 – Patrick Huyskens of Belgium grew the world’s tallest potato plan measuring 57 inches (145 centimeters) tall.
tater ping!.......................
Who izzat?...............
My family leans towards the Tater Tot variety of potatoes - I like ‘em too - easy to prepare.
They also like the boxed version of mashed potatoes that my mother made after it became too difficult for her to peel, boil and mash potatoes from scratch.
There are also new varieties of tots made from broccoli and one from cauliflower - I was told never to fool my family again with those, only real Tater Tots are acceptable.
Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, with one medium potato (5.3 ounces) with the skin containing 620 mg of potassium, which is 15% of your daily requirement and 40% more than a banana (422 mg or 9% DV). Purple Viking potatoes are particularly high in potassium............
I am chronically low in potassium for some reason. Many people are. So I take potassium supplements and eat potassium rich foods.........................
My potato nirvana:
Washed well, sliced thin.
Heat bacon drippings in iron skillet.
Add potatoes and onions (green peppers optional)
Fry on high heat covered, turning often until nicely browned.
Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes to let potatoes finish cooking.
Add grated or sliced cheese and bacon bits. You can also stir in some eggs at the end letting them also cook with the residual heat.
Salt and pepper to taste.
I don’t peel my potatoes when I plan to mash them, because the skin is good for you. I don’t think it detracts from the appearance of them either. I like being able to skip that step, which seems unnecessary to me. Once they are soft from boiling, mashing isn’t very hard, but if you have arthritis or another affliction with your hands, I agree that it could be. My mom used to use an electric hand mixer to mash them, but I still prefer to do it by hand unless I have a large pot of them to do.
I also agree with your family that the cauliflower tots are horrible, and I have the broccoli ones in my freezer but still haven’t used them. I seem to only like cauliflower raw, chopped in with a salad.
Back to taters, they are so versatile. Don’t know how I could live without them. Happy National Tater Day, everyone!
*** 2012 – Have you ever tried to peel a potato in one long, continuous strip? If so, your new challenge is to achieve the longest potato peel. The current record is held by Alastair Galpin of New Zealand. His peel came in at 5 feet 2.28 inches (1.582 meters) long.***
That must’ve been a pretty big potato!
Sounds apeeling!........................
I’m on to you! ;)
No skin off my nose!........................😜
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.