Idaho has long been known for its potatoes.
Through much of the 20th century, potatoes from the Gem State were consistently considered to be the cream of the crop. In the Northeast, Maine potatoes were a staple, but gourmets often secretly snatched up bags of Idaho spuds for special occasions. Idaho was exotic, and its russet potatoes somehow just tasted better.
In recent years, as the world's produce industry has become more and more homogenized, it seems that Idaho's famous export has lost some of its luster. Competition grew, tastes changed and cooks started looking for new varieties of starches to experiment with.
Then, after France failed to wholeheartedly get behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, a bizarre twist of fate struck the potato industry. Some patriotic Americans not only boycotted French products, such as wine, they also chose to stop eating french fries.
In the nation's capital, two Republican lawmakers in March 2003 successfully spearheaded a campaign to have three House of Representatives cafeterias change the name of french fries to "freedom fries." The move was designed as a culinary slap in the face for France's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.
Unfortunately, in Idaho, a price was paid. Potato sales slowed, leaving some industry leaders wondering whether many Americans truly did hate France or had just gone on a coincidentally timed health spree. After all, french fries can be high in fat content and potatoes in general had been branded as the kings of all carbohydrates, just as many dieticians had labeled carbs as the enemy.
All the fuss really ignored one simple fact: Politics aside, you can have your potato and your health too.
One 5.3-ounce Idaho potato has no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and a mere 100 calories. It is high in vitamin C, is a good source of dietary fiber and yields more potassium than a banana.
Yes, potatoes do have carbohydrates. That same approximately five-ounce potato will render 26 grams of carbs, 9 percent of the recommended daily allowance. But for many dieters, that is a figure they can live with, whether or not they are engaging in the good-versus-bad-carbohydrate debate.
Many health experts advise that if one chooses to eat potatoes, it is certainly preferable not to bathe them in butter, sour cream or a rich, fatty gravy. Some also say that eating the skins of potatoes adds to the health quotient.
Potatoes can be cooked in many ways. Boiling, steaming, baking and roasting generally provide a healthy end product. While fried potatoes taste great, they do retain a significant amount of the oil they are cooked in, although some oils are highly preferable to others.
New potatoes—which are simply harvested before they reach full maturity—are excellent steamed or boiled with the skins on. Lower in starch than mature potatoes, they are not as good for baking.
Once cooked, new potatoes can simply be sprinkled with various combinations of salt, pepper, parsley, garlic, mint, dill or rosemary. They are also a favorite for summer salads.
Idaho russets make perfect baking potatoes. Their high starch content renders a fluffy flesh that melts in the mouth. As an alternative to butter and sour cream, one can easily substitute a light salad dressing or a dollop of herbed cottage cheese.
For special occasions, there are always fries, no matter what you call them. Just don't order "freedom fries" on your next trip to France. Simply say, "pommes frites," and leave food out of world politics.
