I say hair decoration.
One of the additions to the garden this year is potatoes. Last year we began the work of creating a garden in May, far too late for potato planting. I could have planted them in the late summer/early fall, too, but with the tomato plants still pumping out a few fruits into late September, I didn’t have the heart to kill them in time to make room for their botanical cousins.
The history of the potato is a fascinating one. It was F. who first told me the story of how this nourishing tuber finally caught on in Europe. I believe he delights in it as a true-life demonstration of human nature.
A French military scientist, Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, had realized the potential of the potato as a food source when he was repeatedly taken prisoner during the Seven Years’ War… and managed to survive on a diet of potatoes. Parmentier convinced King Louis XVI, who was looking for famine insurance (maybe he had an intimation of the guillotine history was preparing for him?), to give the potato a try.
The King was persuaded. (I like to imagine that happening over a serving of potatoes au gratin, fragrant with the best French cheese money could buy.)
But they had to think of some way to get the farmers to want to grow this new and exotic crop. Efforts to introduce the potato to Ireland in the late 1500s had ended in disaster, when the cooks charged with preparing them for an introductory banquet tossed out the tubers and instead served the leaves and stems — which are fatally poisonous to humans. The whole incident led to a ban of the potato in the English court and a general suspicion in the British Isles of this nutritious, but misunderstood food source. And of course, rumors of their deadly reputation spread to the Continent, as well.
So the King and his advisors cooked up a scheme to change perceptions. Potatoes were planted in about a hundred acres of unused land on the outskirts of Paris. These fields were heavily guarded by well-trained, royal troops, night and day, thus giving the impression that this crop was a royal treasure of sorts, the King’s special reserve crop, a very refined delicacy indeed.
Once the potatoes were mature, the military men were given a single night off duty. And, as an understanding of human psychology would predict, the citizens of Paris and farmers from the surrounding rural province went into the fields and stole the tubers to taste and to plant in their own fields.
And the potato became an overnight sensation. As, frankly, I would expect. Imagine never having tasted a potato before, and then taking your first bite of creamy mashed potatoes, or cutting open a fragrant potato baked in the ashes of your fireplace for the very first time, or swallowing your first warm spoonful of potato soup during the chill of winter. This humble little tuber must have seemed like a miracle. No wonder the French ended up inventing French fries.*
My personal favorite detail of the potato’s history goes perfectly with the photo at the beginning of this post: Marie Antoinette was known for wearing potato flowers pinned to her trademark curls.
I don’t know whether this was the Queen doing her part to further her husband’s stealth campaign,** or whether she took to doing so after the imported plant had suddenly become popular. Maybe lavender and gold just looked pretty against her ash-blonde locks. Either way, she was a trendsetter. Soon all the ladies at court were wearing the poisonous blossoms in their hair.
Didn’t I just mention dancing with flowers in our hair a few days ago? Must be a theme.
*Yes, I subscribe to the theory that the French invented the fry, and not the Belgians. (Sorry, Belgians.) Because Thomas Jefferson clearly was eating fried potatoes, so good they ended up in his diary around 1810, long before any mention of Belgians eating them circa World War I — and they were served to him by his French chef at Monticello.
** I kind of hope this one is the true story, that she was doing her part to relieve famine, too, in spite of the way she would be unfairly maligned by history, rumored to have uttered that ridiculous “let them eat cake” line, and later despised by the masses for making decisions for the country when her husband fell into severe clinical depression and became incapable of making any, himself. I find her story so compellingly tragic already. Yet this one little charming detail added something poignant to the picture, at least for moi.
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Meredith – love the potato history, I just might try wearing some potato flowers in my hair this year! I am growing potatoes for the first time this year, and am using a potato “bag” filled with multicolor organic potatoes. No flowers so far, but they are growing well and very healthy looking. I might have put too many in the bag, and will post a picture of it soon on my blog (and refer people to yours for the wonderful potato history and thoughts about Marie).
I’m glad you enjoyed the story, Linda! Welcome to the potato-growing club.
I, too, am using some “bags” for my potatoes, as an experiment, and also because I could move them into the sunniest area of my yard — the former driveway, where the soil is so compacted no one will be able to garden there for decades. 
You can sort of see the black cloth edge of the bag in the photo above.
Can’t wait to hear about your harvest. And you know I always appreciate link love — and am honored that you liked the post enough to spread the word.
I never met a potato I didn’t like! Thanks for the history lesson – that was a treat.
Lynn´s last blog ..The lawns, long lunch and freedom
Dear Lynn, friend of the potato (and of me), I’m so happy to have given you a treat.
You’re welcome!
Pretty potato flowers….yes they’d look lovely in our hair.
Like Marie we could have our potatoes and eat them too.
gemma´s last blog ..A Garden Goddess
Yes, let’s have it all, Gemma.
J’adore le pomme de terre!
And I’m Irish – which makes me about 80% potato,
carrie´s last blog ..RED
LOL, Carrie. I hadn’t thought of that. They say we Americans are about 65% corn. “The people of the corn,” some North American peoples used to call themselves. I guess you’re the people of the potato.
It’s good to identify with our starchy roots.
We Canadians love our pototoes any way you slice them!
And the flowers are definitely worthy of hair ornamentation
Talon´s last blog ..Fine day for a meme…
I do think those flowers are perfect for the hair — but what amazes me is the creativity required to perceive that in the first place, and not just overlook them as a mere byproduct of a vegetable.
When I was in Canada, I lived among the French Canadians — who seem to prefer their bread more than any other starch. People of the grain, maybe?
That was a lovely story, thanks Meredith and F! And yes, I feel sorry for M. Antoinette too. Far too young to be running a country, when all you have been trained to do is look pretty and raise babies.
Merrilee´s last blog ..Saturday Prompts
Cool, Merrilee! I’m glad you liked it, even if Marie’s story is tragic.
Great story, and one I had never heard before. Today potatoes are often maligned as being fattening, but the tubers themselves are very nutritional until we load them up with the fattening add-ons.
villager´s last blog ..Wren Update
I think it might also be the quantities that are eaten — and especially the number of them we eat fried, Villager. I agree with Michael Pollan on this one, that if you ever actually fry them yourself, you realize what an intense workload is involved, and why they’d just be a treat usually. It’s the ease of availability that makes the French fry so ubiquitous. And yes, sour cream and butter don’t help their reputation, sadly.
Great bit of history there Meredith … then there is the whole nightshade family tale … for those who suffer from inflammations. I do not quite understand how these delicious plants can irritate and help further the development of arthritis and such. I like how you describe what it must have been like to taste a potato for the first time. Wish I could remember. Lovely photo and blooms!!
Carolflowerhillfarm´s last blog ..Purple Hues Back Door Garden Lovely Guests!
I never heard that, Carol. Arthritis is connected with all the nightshade family? Even tomatoes and eggplants? That would be bad news, and F. and I would be courting joint inflammation every summer.
Thank you, too, for the kind words!
wow, that’s quite a story. I hope your bend on things is the accurate one!
I bet those flowers look beautiful on ash blonde hair.
Wendy´s last blog ..Annual Chopping of the Hogweed
Yes, I bet they do look lovely. Blondes do get some breaks, now and then.
Glad you enjoyed my retelling of the story!
Dear Meredith, What a fascinating account of the potato, most of which was completely unknown to me before now. I love to think of Marie Antoinette wearing the flowers in her hair – do you think this could catch on again and become a fashion statement?
Although I do not of course grow potatoes, I do grow Solanum jasminoides ‘Album’, a wonderful scented climber [the potato vine].
Edith Hope´s last blog ..Today We Have Naming of Parts
I know the potato vine, Edith, and it is lovely indeed, a real classic.
Somehow I doubt anything truly natural will become a fashion statement anytime soon. It’s impossible to brand, and patent, market, and sell something as humble as the potato flower — so no corporation would have an interest in bringing it to the attention of the masses. It’ll just have to stay a private pleasure for those in the know.
Meredith,
First of all, I loved the brief history of the potato. I had no idea that the blossoms, leaves and stems were poisonous…good to know:~)
Secondly, this is a great picture:~) To me these flowers look like the early 1900 Moulin Rouge Can Can dancers. They’re doing their “kick” which shockingly exposes their bloomers (appropriately named, if I do say so).
Great post…thank your for sharing the potato with me:~)
Sara´s last blog ..Political Change: Do It Yourself!
Yes, it is good to know they’re poison. Weird that we eat so many things with other parts of the plant being deadly to us, though, no?
I love how you saw the CanCan dancers! I’ll never look at the photo — or the potato flower — the same way again.
Thanks for the compliments.
I didn’t know much about potato history. thanks for the great story! I think the potato flowers are pretty enough to wear in one’s hair. When I was young ( in the hippy era) I loved to wear flowers in my hair. I’m sorry it’s not fashionable now, as I would still like to do that!
debsgarden´s last blog ..A Time to Persevere
Aw, Deb, I wish I’d lived in an era when flowers in the hair were the norm. I think you should do it anyway, if you have the desire to, fashionable or no.
So glad you enjoyed the story!
Well to be fair the Belgians are having a hard enough time with the prospect of their country being split up. Yep, I think my reaction to the draw is apparent in my latest blog. best. David
David Macaulay´s last blog ..England performance leaves us feeling green
Well, David, I wasn’t trying to be unfair to the Belgians, really.
I won’t rub it in your face about the match. They do say pride goeth before the fall…
Hi Meredith~~ Forgive me for being away from your blog for so long. … I often find myself thinking about how plants came to be known and loved by humans and what trial and error had to take place first. It seems to me I remember something about people thinking tomatoes were poisonous. Anyway, nice post. Like Edith, I grow a potato vine [Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'] rather than the edible species. Interesting how similar the flowers are.
Grace, I think you and I and many of my old garden blog friends are all suffering from the same difficulty right now: too much to do in summer to keep up our former pace. I sometimes envision our more rare comments to one another as friendly waves from far away, surrounded by sunlight and green, with a shouted, “See you in Autumn!” while grinning at each other giddily.
That said, we are trying to keep up and I’m thrilled to see you again.
I don’t know nearly as much about the tomato’s history. Might be a subject for some research and a post soon: my first tomato is nearly ripe!
I failed to plant potatoes this year, but in my defense, this was our first year in our little house and there were so many tasks to accomplish. I need to figure out our growing season, because I feel so “lost at sea” in a California garden.
Lisa´s last blog ..Tony Award!
Ah, Lisa, I don’t think our garden decisions need a defense. You focused on what was needed first, and what worked best for you, and that is perfect. I am a wee bit envious of your little house — and I hope it’s all a joy for you!
I must admit that the idea that we might move cross country or even out of the country is accompanied by excitement (hey, I still like new places) and dismay that I’d have to learn a whole different style of gardening to match another climate and cycle — without my grandfather’s assistance.
A very interesting piece of history, Meredith…..the potato flowers being a pretty and toxic hair ornament too. I grew up on potatoes with every meal, usually mashed…..my Dad is Irish. hehe I still LOVE potatoes any which way they are served.
Serena´s last blog ..PHOTO MONDAY – Black & White
I’m running late
The flowers look like little yellow bell peppers.
wow the potato story from a to z.
I thought Al Gore invent the potato.
Anywho nice story. lots of things I did not know
about the spud.
Ellis W. Moore´s last blog ..Poem #9
Next time I look at a potato, I’m going to think of this entertaining post, Meredith. Seriously, when I’m about to cut it with a knife and deprive it of its skin… well, I’m just not going to be able to do it!