Webkinz Insider

commodore · 07-13-2009, 02:24 AM

Today is National French Fries Day. The potato looks like a boring vegetable, but it is very versatile.

The history of French Fries:
It is believed fries originated in the Spanish Netherlands in 1680. Poor inhabitants of a village deep fried fish to accompany their meal, but in the cold months when the rivers were frozen, they cut potatoes lengthwise and fried them.

Facts about potatoes:

They are packed full of starch
Potatoes that have been exposed to light goes green - do not eat this as it contains toxins
Potatoes are a tuberous crop
Idaho is Americans potato state
They are Americas favorite vegetable because they are so versatile - they can be boiled, baked, fried, steamed, microwaved, roasted, mashed
Potatoes were an acceptable edible food in the Western world 200 years ago. They were first discovered in Chile in 750 BC
The British term the French fry "chips"
They are an environmentally friendly vegetable - meaning they are very easy to grow and don't require huge amounts of fertilizer or chemicals
In 1995, potato plants were taken to space on board Columbia, and that is the first time any food has grown in space
Potatoes contain 80% water and 20% solids
Potatoes grow in all 50 US states, and about 125 countries around the world