It seems like there's a "National Day" for just about everything. For the 365 days of the year we have, people have found some interesting things to celebrate. There's National Towel Day on May 24, National Taco Day on October 4, but arguably the most important National Day is August 19—National Potato Day.
At first glace, the potato seems like a pretty simple object. Sure, it tastes good and you can cook it many different ways, but there's more to the potato than first meets the eye. With August 19 right around the corner, here's an ode to the world's most versatile object.
1. The potato can be cooked in so many great ways.
The potato is one of the most versatile foods around. You can fry it, bake it, mash it, waffle it, crinkle it, scallop it, bake it twice, roast it. However you slice it, the potato can be cooked many different ways.
2. It has been used to create modern art.
Artists have carved potatoes to create some pretty interesting designs. Google "potato carvings" for some entertainment and impressively crafted spuds.
3. Potatoes are cost effective.
Potatoes are dirt cheap. A 5 lb. bag of Russet potatoes goes for approximately $1.97 at Walmart. That's $0.40 per pound of potatoes. 5 lbs. of carrots at Walmart goes for $7.40. That's $1.48 per pound of carrots. 5 lbs. of green peppers will set you back $8.95. That's $1.79 per pound of green peppers. Not only are potatoes the cheapest of these three fresh vegetables, they're packed with nutrients and vitamins necessary for a healthy diet.
4. You can send potatoes in the mail.
What a time to be alive. Head over to potato parcel send friends and enemies alike an anonymous and hilarious message via a potato. For $9.99, you can send a large-sized potato to anyone in the United States, accompanied with a 140-character message on the potato to anyone you choose.
5. You can craft with potatoes.
Lately, craft gurus have been using potatoes to make interesting stamps. Cut your desired shape into the potato, paint the potato using acrylic paint and a brush, and stamp away! This is a great craft for kids and adults to work on together. How cute! Check out this link for the directions: http://www.craftymorning.com/easter-egg-potato-sta...
6. There are some great Twitter pages associated with potatoes.
There are quite a few potato fact Twitter pages where you can find some entertaining spud trivia. Here's the link to one of the most informational Twitter pages about potatoes.
"@potatofacts_: the easy way to tell regular potato and sweet potato apart is by their names"
"@potatofacts_: based on 2010 statistics China was the leading producer of things made in China and also potato"
7. Potatoes are childhood toys.
Many current college students grew up on the Toy Story movies made by Pixar. Two of the main characters, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, made their most famous appearances in these movies between 1995 and 2010 though he has been in many different movies and TV shows. Mr. Potato Head was originally created in 1952 by George Lerner and was produced by Hasbro. Since his debut, Mr. Potato Head's appearance has been changed and accessories like cars and Mrs. Potato Head have been added to the line.
8. The potato saved countries from famine.
If you fell asleep in World History, here's a quick recap. Ireland depended on the potato crop because it was cheap and easy to grow. When the crops were affected by the potato disease, the potato blight, the heavily relied upon food source was essentially destroyed. Other countries came to Ireland's aid, and soup kitchens were set up to help the needy, but more than one million people lost their lives due to the crops destruction.
9. There's a museum dedicated to the potato.
If you find yourself in Idaho anytime soon, check out a museum dedicated to potatoes. Here's the link for more information.
10. The potato can be grown in space.
What do China, NASA, and potatoes have in common? More than you'd think. China and NASA teamed up to try and grow potatoes in space in October of 1995. China is the number one consumer of the starchy food. Using the Chinese technique to grow potatoes in a controlled environment, a team set out for zero gravity in an attempt to sustain the potato supply. The verdict? It worked! Potatoes, using the method, can be grown in outer space. For more information on the science behind the process, check out this link.
11. It can be used as an energy source.
The potato battery is a science experiment loved by many a fifth-grade teacher. Using some common household items like: two potatoes, two short pieces of heavy copper, two common galvanized nails, three alligator clip/wire units and a simple LED clock, you can create something that will dazzle and impress the minds of fifth grade budding scientists. When you combine all the materials in the right way, you'll be able to run a clock--potato power. For a full explanation and directions, click this link.
12. Potatoes can be made into drinks.
One word: Vodka. Potatoes can be distilled and combined with sugar and some other ingredients to make one of the most popular liquors of today. Check out this link for a more scientific explanation and some graphics to help explain the process:
13. This man who really loves potatoes.
14. The potato has a National Day.
For the love of potatoes, don't forget to celebrate this versatile and impressive food on August 19!
