Culinary StapleCulinary Staple

Source of Source of SurvivalSurvival

Gift from Latin Gift from Latin AmericaAmerica

Global GoodGlobal Good

The Irish Potato

Forget Atkins.Forget Atkins.A Carb to LoveA Carb to Love Low in fat Rich in vitamin C Source of iron, vitamins

B1, B3 and B6; potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and contains folate, pantothenic acid and riboflavin

Contains dietary antioxidants

Irish Cuisine: Irish Cuisine: Hundreds of Potato recipesHundreds of Potato recipes

National Crop National Crop of the Irish:of the Irish:A Brief HistoryA Brief History

Early adopters of the Potato in Early adopters of the Potato in the 17th Centurythe 17th Century

All-in-One Nutrition Fuels a All-in-One Nutrition Fuels a Population Boom in the 18th Population Boom in the 18th CenturyCentury

An Gorta Mor (The Great An Gorta Mor (The Great Hunger): Crop Failure Hunger): Crop Failure causes starvation and causes starvation and migration in the 19th Centurymigration in the 19th Century

World’s leading Potato eaters World’s leading Potato eaters throughout the 19th and 20th throughout the 19th and 20th centuriescenturies

The Irish may claim it as their own but The Irish may claim it as their own but the potato came the potato came NOTNOT from… from…

KillarneyKillarney

But From the AndesBut From the Andes

And the Indigenous People of PeruAnd the Indigenous People of Peru

A Global OdysseyA Global OdysseyHow the “Pratie” Went Round the World in Five How the “Pratie” Went Round the World in Five

CenturiesCenturies

From Latin America in the 16th century…From Latin America in the 16th century…

To the Vatican To the Vatican Gardens in RomeGardens in Rome

Clusius, the Pope’s Dutch botanist began cultivating the South American tuber by the late 1500’s

To Northern Europe in the 17th century…To Northern Europe in the 17th century…

The Potato Eaters by Vincent Van GoghThe Potato Eaters by Vincent Van Gogh

From Europe to North America in the 18th From Europe to North America in the 18th Century…Century…

To Africa and Asia in the 20th CenturyTo Africa and Asia in the 20th Century

Potato: the Other Peruvian GoldPotato: the Other Peruvian Gold

Cultivated 7,000 to 12,000 years Cultivated 7,000 to 12,000 years ago by the Incas near Lake ago by the Incas near Lake TiticacaTiticaca

Spanish called the tuber “patata,” Spanish called the tuber “patata,” derived from the Quechua word derived from the Quechua word “papa” and the Indian word “papa” and the Indian word “batata”“batata”

Spanish conquistadors in search Spanish conquistadors in search of gold discovered Peruvian of gold discovered Peruvian potato in 1532potato in 1532

Potato GodPotato God

The Spaniards bring Potatoes from the The Spaniards bring Potatoes from the mountains of Peru to the mountains of Spainmountains of Peru to the mountains of Spain

Basque farmers began to grow them in the 16th/17th centuriesBasque farmers began to grow them in the 16th/17th centuries

Political and Economic Conditions Force Political and Economic Conditions Force the Cultivation of the Potato in Irelandthe Cultivation of the Potato in Ireland

17th Century Colonization and 17th Century Colonization and English Land Grab reduce acreage English Land Grab reduce acreage for native Irish for native Irish

Disenfranchised farmers become Disenfranchised farmers become tenantstenants

Farmers need to wring more from lessFarmers need to wring more from less Nutritious potato a high-yield, low-Nutritious potato a high-yield, low-

labor croplabor crop An acre of land can produce enough An acre of land can produce enough

to feed a family of six plus livestock for to feed a family of six plus livestock for a yeara year

English military campaigns against English military campaigns against France create export market for Irish France create export market for Irish potatopotato

Population explosion results in IrelandPopulation explosion results in Ireland

The Blight The Blight 1845 to 18501845 to 1850An Gorta MorAn Gorta MorThe Great HungerThe Great Hunger

Unresolved land and rent Unresolved land and rent disputesdisputes

Overdependence on single Overdependence on single cropcrop

Two consecutive years of Two consecutive years of crop failure crop failure

Devastating English Devastating English economic policies economic policies

CausesCauses

Impact of the Impact of the Great FamineGreat Famine

Massive Starvation and Massive Starvation and EmigrationEmigration

Depopulation and Diaspora: Depopulation and Diaspora: Half the population leaves or Half the population leaves or diesdies

More than One Million DeadMore than One Million Dead The rise of Irish as urban The rise of Irish as urban

minority group in Americaminority group in America Labor for American Labor for American

factories/soldiers for Civil factories/soldiers for Civil WarWar

Rebellion in IrelandRebellion in Ireland

The Potato in AmericaThe Potato in America

Scotch Irish farmers first planted Scotch Irish farmers first planted them in New Hampshire in the them in New Hampshire in the early 1700’searly 1700’s

Wave of Irish immigrants Wave of Irish immigrants increased market and demand increased market and demand for potatoes in U.S. in 19th for potatoes in U.S. in 19th CenturyCentury

Westward expansion and potato Westward expansion and potato cultivation in Idaho followscultivation in Idaho follows

The rise of American French The rise of American French Fries in 20th CenturyFries in 20th Century

USDA: potato most important USDA: potato most important crop in the U.S.crop in the U.S.

Globalization of the SpudGlobalization of the SpudNow a Rival to RiceNow a Rival to Rice

Globalization TrendsGlobalization Trends

For centuries potato production and For centuries potato production and consumption dominated by Europe, North consumption dominated by Europe, North America and former Soviet Union America and former Soviet Union

Asia, Africa and Latin America have Asia, Africa and Latin America have quintupled output and consumption in the quintupled output and consumption in the last 50 yearslast 50 years

In 2005, for the first time, the developing In 2005, for the first time, the developing world's potato production exceeded that of world's potato production exceeded that of the developed world the developed world

China is now the biggest potato producerChina is now the biggest potato producer Almost a third of all potatoes harvested in Almost a third of all potatoes harvested in

China and IndiaChina and India

A Food to Feed the World in the 21st CenturyA Food to Feed the World in the 21st Century

The United The United Nations promotes Nations promotes the potato as a the potato as a sustainable sustainable solution to global solution to global hungerhunger

The crop that The crop that once fed the Incas once fed the Incas and the Irish now and the Irish now nourishes the nourishes the worldworld

Chan fhiach cuirm gun a Chan fhiach cuirm gun a ccomomhhradhradh

A feast is no use without good talkA feast is no use without good talk

¡Buen Apetito!