Irish Cash Crop: The Potato ~Blog Post #3~ April 19, 2015

         The most important of all the Irish foods, the potato, was not always a staple for the small country. For a large part of the country’s existence, they consumed a very common diet of meats, cheeses, and an assortment of vegetables, but as the great trades began between Europe and the New World, Ireland met its now largest farmed vegetable, the potato. Before the potato, many farmers had a very difficult time in harvesting enough crops to last them through winter and until the next harvest, but with the introduction, it became a staple in the Irish diet around the mid 1700’s. Ireland soon rose from a small country that couldn’t support many people per square unit of land to one of the most densely populated areas in all of Europe. This success was not only due to the fact that the potato is one of the most versatile and easily preserved of all of the crops, but also because it only takes approximately ten weeks from planting to harvesting. Along with the easy ability to grow these magnificent crops, potatoes are also very nutritious; they contain forty-five percent of one’s daily vitamin C, are one of the leading vegetables for potassium and other vitamins/minerals, and are only 110 calories a piece. All theses factors together are why we find this so cherished crop in our everyday Irish cuisine. They’re the staple in Irish beef stew, potato pancakes, Sheppard’s pie, and much more. Let’s be honest: nothing quite completes our warm home cooked meal better than a simple Irish potato.

Works Cited

Linnane, John. "A History of Irish Cuisine." Ravensgard. 19 Feb. 2000. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

"Potato Nutrition Information | Health Facts About Potatoes." Potato Goodness Nutrition Comments.             Potatoes Goodness Unearthed, 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

"Potatoes." The Old Farmer's Almanac. Yankee Publishing, 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

 Santibanez, Flavia. Digital image. BloggerLocal.com. 1 Nov. 2013. Web.