HISTORY OF POTATO
A birthplace of potato is South America, where even nowadays it is possible to meet wild plants. Introduction of potato (at first by exploitation of wild bushes) began approximately 9-7 thousand years ago on the territory of modern Bolivia. American Indians not only consumed potato but also worshiped it, considering it the animated creature.
The natural habitat of wild forms of many types of potato is Central Mexico, Central America, Peru, Bolivia, Chile. Indian tribes in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia grew it 1 -2 thousand years B.C. To Europe (Spain, Italy and other) a potato was brought in 1540 (in other resources in 1565) under the name " apple of the ground". Italians through similarity to the truffles named it "tartufolli".
Approximately in 1600 admiral Reylekh brought potato to England and Holland. Consequently this culture got to Europe in two ways - through the South countries and through England. The first way gave us actually the name potato. From Italy it spread to the north and east, and in a middle XVII century it was already grown in Poland and in the XVIII century in Western Ukraine. From Italian tartufolli comes the Ukrainian name kartoplya.
The second way gave us the English name "potato". Thus this name was taken by mistake, but was accepted to the language . From other resources potato was brought to England by admiral (he is the known pirate) Frances Drake . Yet long before him among botanists there were stories about the existence of plants which give sweet tubers, what locals called batata. The tubers which were brought by the pirate were similar in descriptions to the tubers of batata and were called potato.
A batata and potato –are different plants . But in England there was nobody who would compare these two plants. For differentiating these two names a term "sweet potato appeared", ). For a long time potato was grown as a flower (beautiful flowers with nice smell ) and considered poisonous. Only in in 1771 in France the medical academy in Paris acknowledged that tubers are not dangerous for a consumption. First most widely a potato began to be used in Ireland, where it replaced bread
A BENEFIT OF POTATO
Potato is the source of vitamin of C. There are other important vitamins of B2 in a potato, B6, PP.
It is one of major sources of minerals in the nutrition of a man. About 70 % of all minerals is potassium, which helps to get rid of water and salt from an organism and regulate metabolism.
In potato there is iron, phosphorus, iodine, sodium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, copper, zinc, nickel', cobalt, boron. They contain about 25 % of so called dry matters which consist of carbohydrates -20 %, protein- 2 %, fats - 0,15 %, organic acids and other connections
Its food value potato gets from carbohydrates such as starch. Starch splits in an intestine, grows into glucose which is sucked in blood and carried by it through the whole organism. Proteins of potato are the most valuable from all vegetable proteins. It is better to cook not peeled potatoes , or «in a jacket», because in a jacket there are 20 % of proteins, vitamins and mineral salts. After cooking potato in jacket the amount of vitamins practically don’t change. Not to ruin useful things during cooking it is necessary to lay the peeled potato in boiling water. If to put potatoes in cold water, it will lose the half of vitamins and if to put it in the boiling water it will lose only 20 %.
POTATO BEETLE
Leptinotarsa of decemlineata ”Colorado beetle” or potato beetle it is a beetle from a leaf-cutting family is a serious potato pest .
A beetle received the name in 1859 after it had destroyed the potato fields in the state of Colorado, but his real birthplace is not Colorado, but the territory in the north-east of Mexico. Except Colorado beetle there are , other types of beetle Leptinotarsa, which eat the relatives of cultural types of potato, tomato and tobacco.
From this territory the beetle moved to the north and got to the east slopes of the Rocky mountains, where already in XIX century got used to eat potatoes/
First serious damages of potato bjy the potato beetle were noticed in 1855 in Nebraska, however its name the beetle received when in 1859 it appeared in the potato fields of Colorado. In spite of all measures of caution, it quickly spread around North America, and in 1876—77 with loads on steamships crossed the Atlantic ocean and first appeared in Europe, in the surrounding villages of Leipzig
After this Colorado beetle was brought to Europe several times more, but his was destroyed, while in 1918 year, in the First world war-time it successfully settled in Claret (France). From here a beetle began its victorious motion on the countries of Europe, and didn’t get only to Great Britain, where it appears rarely even now. Moving to the east mostly in summer in 1950s a beetle reached the USSR. On territory of the USSR it was found in Lviv then in 1953 in other regions of Ukraine
WAYS TO DEAL WITH COLORADO (POTATO BEETLE)
Currently, as a remedy against Colorado potato beetle people use decoctions of different plants which repel or have detrimental effect on the pest. Thus, in tomato plants tomato glycoalkaloid serves as poison for Colorado beetle.Also sunflower acid has insecticidal effect on the beetle. It is discovered that the dye part of the red pepper and nicotine in tobacco plants are toxic to the Colorado potato beetle. Beans and garlic have deterrent effect on the Colorado potato beetle.
POTATO DISHES
POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS
Ingredients for preparation of potato withes stuffed mushrooms:
1. large potatoes - 6 ;
2. Mushrooms 1 00-150g;
3. 1 onion;
4. Sour cream - 4 table spoons;
5. Cream 200 ml (30%);
6. Soy-bean sauce - 2 table spoons;
7. Some greenery
Some salt, pepper
Step 1: Dice onion and fry it in oil till it becomes golden. Slice mushrooms and add to the onion and stew it for some time. Add some salt and pepper.
Step 2: Cut boiled potatoes in halves. Take out the inside from potatoes making it empty. Mix taken out potatoes with mushrooms and add sour cream
After that mix cream soy-been sauce , salt and pour stuffed potatoes with this sauce.
Put into the oven for 30-40 minutes
POTATO AND CHICKEN FILLET
Ingredients:
1. 1 kg of potato
2. Chicken fillet -500g.
3. Mayonnaise -150 g.
4. Garlic-3 pieces
5. Cheese-200g.
6. Some salt and pepper
Peel and clean potatoes, cut it. Put some oil on the baking tray and put potatoes. Cut chicken and put on the layer of potatoes. Add salt. Grate cheese and add some mayonnaise and garlic, mix everything. Put as the next layer over chicken. Put into the oven for 50 minutes. After it is ready before serving you can add some greenery.
FAIRY-TALES AND LEGENDS ABOUT POTATO
There was no limit to the obstinacy of Potato . I don’t want to live in a warm sack, - said Potato somehow, and jumped out. - Where are you going? - the potatoes yelled. Here is your place! - No, - Potato answered firmly. - not here. It’s good here but there’s not enough space. I will go to search a new House.
Potato went along the fields, the hills, and the valleys. It arrived to the Carrot field. The carrots were dancing and brushed hair. They invited Potato to live with them.
Potato settled among Carrot. His life was orange and funny. But he couldn’t have such a life for a long time. So he said good-bye to the carrots . Why are you leaving? asked carrots. It’s nice to stay with you but this is not a home for me. I’m not a carrot to brush hair and I like my colour more. I like to roll around but not to dance . You can do all these here-said Carrots. No, I don’t want to do it alone and went away. He is very stubborn the Carrots said and started to dance again.
Potato was walking along the fields , along the trees until he met a family of Mushrooms. He stayed at mushrooms for some time. They stayed in the sun and told fairy-tales to each other. Very soon Potato became bored and decided to go away. Why? Asked mushrooms. I want to create my own fairy-tales and live my own life. Tell us your fairy-tales! But you can listen to the mushroom fairy-tales only.
Potato was travelling for a long time, visited a lot of interesting places and finally reached a potato fiel. He saw happy potatoes rolling around, telling fairy-tales and understood that this is his place, that he wants to stay here.
But is it forever? Probably he doesn’t know himself.
By Anastasia Unpeleva
Potato the traveller by Iris Revue
Can you guess where Potato appeared once? In the thick forest. I’ll eat you the wolf said to potato. –I am happy to hear it said potato. This is my destiny to be eaten! Do you want baked or boiled or maybe mashed?
Wolf scratched his ear. He did not hear about such dishes and has never eaten potatoes. Wolf, stepped back for a bush.
The hare hurries by. Potato, Potato, I will eat you. Says Hare. Eat, help yourself and give to your children! — Potato answered.
Suddenly the Hare noticed the Wolf and started to run away. Potato stayed alone. It became very sad and decided to go to people. People like potatoes and can cook delicious dishes from potatoes. When potatoes is on the menu it’s a holiday for them! The forest is not a good place for potatoes!
Resources
1. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8F
2. http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BB%D1%8F
3. http://legendsukraine.at.ua/publ/legendi_ukrajini/istoriji/legenda_pro_kartoplju/64-1-0-70
4. http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%96%D1%83%D0%BA_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9
5. http://www.ovochi.in.ua/zahyst_guk1.html
6. http://cookery.com.ua/ovochi/stravi-z-kartopli/2108-kartoplya-farshirovana-gribami.html
7. http://www.tvoyrebenok.ru/skazki-44.shtml
8. http://detskiychas.ru/sochinyaem_skazki/skazka_pro_karyoshku/