Quick Tip for Perfectly Cooked Potatoes

If you're just learning how to cook and need some advice, why not stop here for a moment and check this out? This information is all about potatoes! In order to cook potatoes properly, it's really important to know where they came from, first. Don't you think so? Don't you think it's important to know exactly where your food comes from? And at the end of this little article, if you read all the way to the very end, then we'll give you a quick tip! Yes that's right, a quick tip for perfectly cooked potatoes.

We're talking potato history here. You may think potatoes are boring, but we promise you they are not! In fact, potatoes have a rich and fascinating history � one that goes all the way back to the Incas. That's who first started cultivating potatoes, many years ago, in ancient times. Yes, that's right, we have the ancient Incas of South America to thank for the potatoes we all know and love today.

Potatoes! We really need to take a few moments to truly celebrate the humble yet stellar potato! The potato has been feeding human beings for a very long time on this planet, through feast and famine, thick and thin. Did you know the potato is from the perennial nightshade family? That means green peppers and tomatoes are its cousins! And, as we mentioned earlier, archaeologists are now learning that the first potatoes were grown in the Andes region of South America, in areas that are now part of Bolivia and Peru.

When the Spanish first came to South America, they tried eating potatoes for the very first time. Some loved them; some hated them, and some saw a great deal of potential in them for trade. Before too long, potatoes started making their way to Europe and beyond. And the funny thing is, they were not eagerly accepted in Europe � nope, not at first. They were beheld with great suspicion, and some even considered them to be �evil�. Hard to believe in this day and age! And now they are one of our greatest food staples on this sweet Earth. It's true � they are actually the top food grown in the United States and the fourth top food grown in the whole wide world, coming just after wheat, corn, and rice!

We adore our potatoes so much because there are just so many different things you can do with them. You can bake them, boil them, and fry them! You can serve them creamed, mashed, and scalloped! You can stuff 'em up with all manner of delicious fillings, and they come in really handy when you want to hearten up a stew or a soup or a salad.

And speaking of potato salad, here's the tip we promised you! Or at least the beginning of it. If you've ever had potato salad that was made with undercooked potatoes, you know how important it is to always make sure they're completely done before you serve them. How do you do this? Well, to find the answer and so many more great cooking ideas, you'll need to visit the �Fine Cooking� website � it's only a short click away!