The Song of Potato Pete
Did you know that carrots don’t make you able to see in the dark?
It was a myth invented by the British propaganda machine during the Second World War. I can imagine that the Chief Propagandist was sitting at his desk, musing over what to do with the latest agricultural figures that showed carrot production was up, when he got a call from the intelligence services asking him to spread some misinformation to confuse spies.
It was pretty clever, but today is a day of potatoes – not carrots.
Not so long ago, my wife and I made the decision to shop ahead of time, in one big shopping trip. It’s very against the times. But our idea was that we were spending time every day on food shopping, it was costing us extra money because we weren’t going to the right shops, and we’d be able to make better quality food with just an ounce of foresight.
In almost no time at all, we settled on potatoes as a worthy addition to our shopping basket. Here’s why you should introduce more potatoes today.
During the Second World War, the potato was a pillar of the UK’s war effort. This is because it was easy to grow, breaking reliance on food imports, it’s versatile, and it’s one of the most efficient crops in terms of land use. They had to work out how to sell potatoes to the public and hence came Potato Pete and his recipe book.
They thought the potato could be used for everything. They were right to an extent: potatoes are good as a side or as the main event. They can be mashed or roasted or baked. They can be calorific (if you smother them with oil and cheese) but are still fairly healthy at their root. They are low cholesterol, low fat, and high fibre in their basic form.
The Second World War lives on today in the minds of British people, and on their plates. The sheer variety of jacket (baked) potato options in the UK dwarfs that of the US. What other country in the world would put cold tuna in a hot potato? I’m not saying it’s a great idea, just that it’s unique.
I am saying that potatoes are cheap, healthy, and in a pinch, when a nation fears they could get overrun by what appears a near unstoppable blitzkrieging machine, potatoes are the safe port of call.
So try out some styles! I will say that chilli con carne works excellently in a jacket potato, especially if it’s still warm. Also, there are some great bacon potato salad recipes out there if you’re looking for a sturdy meat fix to get you through tough Winter days.
Have I merely bought the lies of Big Potato? Have I become an unwitting cog in a propaganda machine dating back to the 1940s? Maybe. The carrots thing was false, so who’s to say that this wasn’t similar? Some war profiteering tattie merchant who was keen to shift a few extra sacks?
I can’t say for certain, I am neither a doctor, nor a dietitian. I’m just a guy who likes a potato and a story.
The writer of this piece is full o’ tatties and wings
