I am not certain of the exact percentage of my genetics that hails from Ireland, but my family has estimated that it is around eighty. To be historically accurate, potatoes originated somewhere in South America. Either way, I truly believe that my love of potatoes is greater than any of my potato farming ancestors. We’re talking three meals a day, ‘shall I compare thee to a summer's day’, kind of infatuation. So, why do I love these starchy, delicious, spuds so much?

Potatoes are delicious in almost any form, whether they’re mashed, baked, or fried: they are glorious. Roast them with herbs for a healthier option, fry them in oil if you want something greasy. You can make so many types of food out of them, and they go well with almost everything, in my humble opinion. Potatoes are also incredibly multifaceted. In the words of my lovely roommate, “you can mash em, you can stick em, you can whip em”. Home fries are great for breakfast, French fries for lunch, and classic mashies are perfect for dinner. Tater tots are a cafeteria favorite, and sweet potatoes are a crowd pleaser. People often argue that because potatoes are a starch, and are not actually a vegetable, they have minimal nutritional value, but why would it even matter when they taste so good? Some research has compared them to a fiber as far as health benefits.

Not many other vegetables grow in the ground. Potatoes grow underground until they are ready to be harvested. While fruit grows on trees, and vegetables on vines, these beautiful, starchy, plants dare to be different. One has to put in a decent amount of effort to harvest them, but they are a worthwhile investment. Potatoes are like diamonds, you just have to pull them out of the dirt, clean them up a little bit, and BAM; you now possess one of the world’s most valuable commodities. Versatile, and shiny, these little oval-shaped masses of happiness are the unsung hero of your local supermarket.

These tuberous crops come in so many different shapes, colors and types. Your typical Idaho potato is only one member of the large and diverse potato family. Some of the more common types include red, white, yellow, sweet potatoes and yams, but these are only a few. Blue and purple potatoes mix best with green vegetables, petite potatoes can be used to substitute pasta, and fingerling potatoes are a great alternative to classic French fries. There are endless possibilities between these unique types of spuds. Much like humans, potatoes grow in different shapes, sizes, and colors, and are good for different things. Not every potato dreams of being mashed someday, some potatoes want to be mixed with other potatoes to make a salad, others want to become a new flavor of Lay’s chips. It is important that we as a society, empower every species of potato, and do not discriminate. Every type of tater is beautiful, in its own way, and they all taste delicious.