Spud crazy

It’s funny that we associate potatoes so closely with Ireland. They were actually cultivated first in South America, most likely Peru. It was the potato that sent many Irish immigrants to the United States, though, when the potato blight hit Ireland. If they’d grown more varieties, it might not have been so bad.

In fact, there are more than 4,000 kinds of potatoes in the world. Try growing some. I had great luck with Yukon golds, and they even reseeded. If the ubiquitous russets don’t thrill you, search for buttery fingerlings or pretty roosters—a red-skinned variety now popular in Ireland.

Kupros Bistro (1217 21st Street) has Canadian poutine (fries with gravy and cheese curds). Dad’s Kitchen (2968 Freeport Boulevard) makes a raucous combo of fries with habanero and blue cheese. I had a great potato-chorizo burrito at the Davis Farmers Market recently, and there are even potato doughnuts at Spudnuts (2445 Arden Way). Oh yeah, and all those potato pizzas I wrote about recently (see “Potato on your pizza?” SN&R Eat It and Reap, February 17).