At every one of my birthday parties as a kid, we’d play Hot Potato. My mom would microwave a russet potato until it was nearly impossible to handle and we’d toss it around a circle until the music stopped. It was sort of like a borderline abusive musical chairs. My mom and I recently debated the accuracy of these memories (she claims it didn't happen), but one thing is clear: I remember loving the feeling of that warm root in my hands. And I wanted to eat it.
I have fond memories of potatoes throughout my childhood. From the loaded baked potato at Roy Rogers to the potato pancakes we’d make with leftover mashed spuds, they’re all winners. My grandmother kept a canister of Crisco under the kitchen sink that she used only for making French fries (lord knows how many times she reused that oil). Our family's potato salad—with loads of dill, red onion, mayonnaise and vinegar—is required at all extended family gatherings. Even during my teenage vegetarian phase, I would dig out as many silky broth-soaked potatoes from a beef stew as I could.
And these days, I’m still in love with potatoes. Waxy, starchy, big, small, roasted, or rosti’d, I respect them all. Sure, they’re not all weeknight-friendly (looking at you Pommes Anna) or super healthy (hi there, Mashed Potato Croquettes) but I’ll gladly eat a side of potato(es) any day of the week.
It seems in this whole-grain, toast-focused era, potatoes have fallen out of fashion. Chalk it up to that "fear-of-simple-carbohydrates" thing that was going around, or the fact that we often smother a once-healthy potato in sour cream and bacon bits. Sweet potatoes started taking center stage with their flashy orange flesh and monster amounts of beta carotene. And while we can get down with sweet potatoes, let's not forget the OG. Trendy or not, potatoes remain a quick, easy, and comforting addition to weeknight meals.
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Loaded with vitamin C and potassium, potatoes are a smart way to fill out a plate. Whole grains are great, but I gotta say I’ve had my share of quinoa for a while. Let’s not forget that potatoes are, and have always been, a whole food. Just don’t overdo it with the bacon bits.