During the mid-1700s, amidst the chaos of the Seven Years War, a French army pharmacist named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier found himself captured by Prussian soldiers. As a prisoner, his diet consisted mainly of potatoes, which was quite unusual for the time. In 18th-century France, potatoes were considered fit only for livestock and were even thought to cause leprosy in humans. This fear was so prevalent that a law was passed in 1748 banning potatoes. However, Parmentier discovered that potatoes were not only safe but also delicious. After his release, he became a passionate advocate for potatoes, showcasing their culinary potential, including the now-beloved mashed potatoes. By 1772, France had lifted its potato ban.
Today, mashed potatoes are a staple in many cuisines worldwide, from fast food outlets to gourmet restaurants. Hi, I’m Justin Dodd, and welcome to Food History, a series from Mental Floss where we explore the fascinating stories behind the foods we love. If you have a food you’d like us to cover, let us know in the comments. The story of mashed potatoes spans 10,000 years, from the Andes mountains of Peru to the fields of Ireland, featuring historical figures like Thomas Jefferson and innovative food scientists.
Potatoes are not native to Ireland or any part of Europe. They were first domesticated in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia, where they have been cultivated since at least 8000 BCE. These early potatoes were quite different from the ones we know today. They varied in shape and size and had a bitter taste that cooking couldn’t remove. Some were even slightly toxic. Observing wild llamas licking clay before eating these potatoes, the Andeans developed a clever method of neutralizing the toxins by dipping the potatoes in a clay-water mixture. This practice continues in some Andean markets today.
When Spanish explorers introduced potatoes to Europe in the 16th century, they had already been bred into a more palatable form. However, Europeans were initially hesitant to embrace them. Some believed that plants not mentioned in the Bible were suspicious, while others were puzzled by the potato’s growth from tubers rather than seeds. Additionally, the European climate posed challenges for potato cultivation, as the daylight hours differed significantly from those in South America. The Spanish began cultivating potatoes on the Canary Islands, which helped bridge the climatic gap between South America and Europe.
Despite initial resistance, potatoes gradually gained acceptance in Europe. In the Scottish Highlands, some people were wary of potatoes due to their absence from the Bible, and customs like planting them on Good Friday reflected a complex relationship with the crop. Concerns about potatoes causing leprosy further hindered their reputation. Advocates like Parmentier worked to change this perception. In her 18th-century cookbook, “The Art of Cookery,” English author Hannah Glasse included a recipe for mashed potatoes, instructing readers to boil, peel, and mash them with milk, butter, and salt. In the United States, Mary Randolph’s “The Virginia Housewife” featured a mashed potato recipe using butter and milk.
No country embraced the potato quite like Ireland. The resilient, nutrient-rich crop was well-suited to the island’s harsh winters, and conflicts between England and Ireland likely accelerated its adoption. Since potatoes grow underground, they were more likely to survive military disruptions. The Irish enjoyed mashed potatoes, often mixing them with cabbage or kale in a dish called colcannon. Potatoes became an integral part of Irish identity. However, the crop’s vulnerability to disease, particularly potato late blight, led to the devastating Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s, resulting in the deaths of a million people and little support from the British government.
The Potato Famine spurred advancements in agricultural science. Charles Darwin took an interest in potato blight and funded a breeding program in Ireland. Using blight-resistant potatoes and new South American varieties, European agriculturists eventually developed robust potato strains, contributing to the broader scientific movement that included Gregor Mendel’s pioneering work in genetics.
In the early 20th century, a kitchen tool called a ricer became popular. Resembling a large garlic press, it transformed cooked potatoes into fine, rice-sized pieces, producing smoother mashed potatoes without overworking them. Over-mashing can lead to “gluey” potatoes, but a ricer prevents this by minimizing starch release.
Some purists argue that riced potatoes aren’t truly mashed, but the distinction doesn’t detract from their deliciousness. In the 1950s, researchers at the Eastern Regional Research Center, a USDA facility near Philadelphia, developed a method for dehydrating potatoes into flakes that could be quickly rehydrated. This innovation led to the creation of modern instant mashed potatoes, fitting perfectly into the era’s convenience food trend and revitalizing potato consumption in the 1960s.
Interestingly, the concept of dehydrated potatoes dates back to the Incas, who made “chuño,” a freeze-dried potato used to prevent crop shortages. Industrial drying experiments began in the late 1700s, with one 1802 letter to Thomas Jefferson describing a method of pressing grated potatoes into cakes that could be stored for years. However, these early attempts often resulted in unappetizing, purple-tasting cakes.
Interest in instant mashed potatoes resurfaced during World War II, but early versions were often soggy or time-consuming to prepare. The ERRC’s 1950s innovations produced a more palatable product by speeding up the drying process, reducing cell rupture, and preventing pastiness. These potato flakes not only revolutionized convenience foods but also inspired new snack creations, such as Pringles, thanks to the work of ERRC researcher Miles Willard.
Thank you for joining us for this pilot episode of Food History. Be sure to subscribe to catch our next video, and hit the notification bell to stay updated. Until next time, enjoy your meals and keep exploring the rich history behind the foods we love.
Research the journey of the potato from its origins in the Andes to its acceptance in Europe. Prepare a presentation that highlights key historical events and figures, such as Antoine-Augustin Parmentier and the Irish Potato Famine. Focus on how cultural perceptions of potatoes changed over time. Present your findings to the class, encouraging questions and discussions.
Organize a cooking session where you and your classmates prepare mashed potatoes using different historical recipes, such as those from Hannah Glasse and Mary Randolph. Experiment with ingredients like butter, milk, and even cabbage or kale for colcannon. Share your creations with the class and discuss how these variations reflect cultural influences.
Engage in a debate about the positive and negative impacts of the potato’s introduction to Europe. Consider aspects such as agricultural advancements, the Irish Potato Famine, and the role of potatoes in modern diets. Form teams to argue different perspectives, and use historical evidence to support your points.
Organize a visit to a local potato farm or agricultural research center. Observe modern potato cultivation techniques and learn about the scientific advancements that have improved potato strains. Discuss with experts how these innovations relate to historical challenges, such as those faced during the Potato Famine.
Write a short story or diary entry from the perspective of a potato, tracing its journey from the Andes to a modern kitchen. Incorporate historical events and figures, such as the Spanish explorers or Antoine-Augustin Parmentier. Share your creative work with classmates and reflect on how storytelling can enhance understanding of historical topics.
During the Seven Years War of the mid-1700s, a French army pharmacist named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier was captured by Prussian soldiers. As a prisoner of war, he was forced to live on rations of potatoes. In mid-18th century France, this was considered quite unusual, as potatoes were thought to be feed for livestock and were believed to cause leprosy in humans. The fear was so widespread that the French passed a law against them in 1748. However, Parmentier discovered in prison that potatoes weren’t deadly; in fact, they were quite tasty. Following his release at the end of the war, he began to advocate for the benefits of the tuber to his countrymen. One way he did this was by demonstrating the delicious ways potatoes could be served, including mashed. By 1772, France had lifted its potato ban.
Centuries later, you can order mashed potatoes in many countries, from fast food to fine dining. Hi, I’m Justin Dodd, and welcome to Food History, a new series from Mental Floss where we dive deep into the amazing culinary stories that lead to the food on our plates. If you have an idea for a food to explore in a future episode, leave it in the comments. In the case of mashed potatoes, it’s a journey that takes 10,000 years and traverses the mountains of Peru and the Irish countryside; it features cameos from Thomas Jefferson and a food scientist who helped invent a popular snack food.
Potatoes aren’t native to Ireland—or anywhere in Europe, for that matter. They were most likely domesticated in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia, where they were used for food at least as far back as 8000 BCE. These early potatoes were very different from the varieties we know today. They came in various shapes and sizes and had a bitter taste that cooking couldn’t eliminate. They were also slightly poisonous. To combat this toxicity, wild relatives of the llama would lick clay before eating them, allowing the animals to consume them safely. Andeans noticed this and started dunking their potatoes in a mixture of clay and water—an ingenious solution to their potato problem. Even today, some poisonous varieties can still be found in Andean markets, sold alongside clay dust.
By the time Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes to Europe from South America in the 16th century, they had been bred into a fully edible plant. However, it took a while for them to catch on overseas. Some accounts suggest that European farmers were suspicious of plants not mentioned in the Bible, while others point to the fact that potatoes grow from tubers rather than seeds. Modern potato historians debate these points, but it may have just been a horticultural issue. The South American climates where potatoes thrived were unlike those found in Europe, particularly in terms of daylight hours. In Europe, potatoes grew leaves and flowers, which botanists studied, but the tubers remained small even after months of growth. This issue began to be remedied when the Spanish started growing potatoes on the Canary Islands, which served as a middle ground between equatorial South America and more northerly European climates.
There is some evidence of cultural concerns regarding potatoes. References exist to people in the Scottish Highlands disliking that potatoes weren’t mentioned in the Bible, and customs like planting potatoes on Good Friday suggest a complicated relationship with potato consumption. As time went on, concerns about potatoes causing leprosy damaged their reputation. A handful of advocates, including Parmentier, worked to turn this image around. In her 18th-century recipe book, The Art of Cookery, English author Hannah Glasse instructed readers to boil potatoes, peel them, and mash them well with milk, butter, and a little salt. In the United States, Mary Randolph published a recipe for mashed potatoes in her book, The Virginia Housewife, calling for half an ounce of butter and a tablespoon of milk for a pound of potatoes.
No country embraced the potato like Ireland. The hardy, nutrient-dense food seemed tailor-made for the island’s harsh winters, and wars between England and Ireland likely accelerated its adaptation there. Since the important part grows underground, potatoes had a better chance of surviving military activity. Irish people also enjoyed their potatoes mashed, often with cabbage or kale in a dish known as colcannon. Potatoes became more than just a staple food; they became part of Irish identity. However, the miracle crop had a major flaw: it was susceptible to disease, particularly potato late blight. When this microorganism invaded Ireland in the 1840s, farmers lost their livelihoods, and many families lost their primary food source. The Irish Potato Famine resulted in the deaths of a million people, or an eighth of the country’s population. The British government offered little support to its Irish subjects.
One unexpected legacy of the Potato Famine was an explosion in agricultural science. Charles Darwin became intrigued by the problem of potato blight and even personally funded a potato breeding program in Ireland. His was just one of many endeavors. Using potatoes that had survived the blight and new South American stock, European agriculturists were eventually able to breed healthy, resilient potato strains and rebuild the crop’s numbers. This development spurred more research into plant genetics and was part of a broader scientific movement that included Gregor Mendel’s groundbreaking work with garden peas.
Around the beginning of the 20th century, a tool called a ricer started appearing in home kitchens. It’s a metal contraption that resembles an oversized garlic press. When cooked potatoes are squeezed through the tiny holes in the bottom of the press, they’re transformed into fine, rice-sized pieces. This process is much less cumbersome than using an old-fashioned masher and yields more appetizing results. Mashing your potatoes releases gelatinized starches from the plant cells that combine to form a paste-like consistency. If you’ve ever tasted “gluey” mashed potatoes, over-mashing was likely the culprit. With a ricer, you don’t need to overwork your potatoes to achieve a smooth, lump-free texture.
Some purists argue that mashed potatoes made this way aren’t really mashed at all—they’re riced—but I’m not one to let pedantry get in the way of delicious carbohydrates. And if mashed potato enthusiasts have opinions about ricers, they’ll definitely have something to say about the next development. In the 1950s, researchers at what is now called the Eastern Regional Research Center, a United States Department of Agriculture facility outside of Philadelphia, developed a new method for dehydrating potatoes that led to potato flakes that could be quickly rehydrated at home. Soon after, modern instant mashed potatoes were born.
It’s worth noting that this was far from the first time potatoes had been dehydrated. Dating back to at least the time of the Incas, “chuño” is essentially a freeze-dried potato created through a combination of manual labor and environmental conditions. The Incas used it to guard against crop shortages. Experiments with industrial drying were gearing up in the late 1700s, with one 1802 letter to Thomas Jefferson discussing a new invention where grated potatoes were pressed to remove juices, resulting in a cake that could be kept for years. When rehydrated, it was “like mashed potatoes,” according to the letter, but the potatoes tended to turn into purple, astringent-tasting cakes.
Interest in instant mashed potatoes resumed during World War II, but those versions were often soggy or took a long time to prepare. It wasn’t until the ERRC’s innovations in the 1950s that a palatable dried mashed potato could be produced. One key development was finding a way to dry the cooked potatoes much faster, minimizing cell rupture and therefore the pastiness of the end product. These potato flakes fit perfectly into the rise of convenience foods at the time and helped potato consumption rebound in the 1960s after a decline in prior years. Instant mashed potatoes are a marvel of food science, but they’re not the only use scientists found for these new potato flakes. Miles Willard, one of the ERRC researchers, went on to work in the private sector, where his work contributed to new types of snacks using reconstituted potato flakes, including Pringles!
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Food – Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink in order to maintain life and growth. – The study of food history reveals how different civilizations have developed unique diets based on available resources and trade.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Understanding the history of scientific discoveries helps us appreciate the cumulative nature of knowledge and innovation.
Potatoes – A starchy plant tuber that is one of the most important food crops, cooked and eaten as a vegetable. – The introduction of potatoes to Europe in the 16th century had a significant impact on agriculture and population growth.
Science – The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. – The scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries marked a pivotal period in the history of science, leading to modern scientific methods.
Agriculture – The science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products. – Advances in agriculture during the Green Revolution significantly increased food production and supported population growth.
Famine – An extreme scarcity of food, often caused by crop failure, war, or other factors leading to widespread hunger. – The Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century was a devastating event that led to mass emigration and significant demographic changes.
Culinary – Related to cooking or the kitchen. – The culinary traditions of a culture often reflect its history, geography, and available resources.
Genetics – The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics. – The discovery of DNA’s structure was a milestone in genetics, revolutionizing our understanding of biological inheritance and evolution.
Culture – The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. – The Renaissance was a period of cultural revival that emphasized the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art.
Innovation – The action or process of innovating; a new method, idea, product, etc. – Technological innovations during the Industrial Revolution transformed manufacturing processes and had profound effects on society.
