Everything about

potatoes

Potato – pretty commonly grown culture. Domesticated several thousands years ago. Very

many breeds are known. Wild potatoes grow in Andes mountains in South America, where

they were main source of food. From ancient times grown by natives in Chile, Ecuador,

Columbia, Bolivia, Peru, Argentine.

About 1565 m. potato tubers reached Europe. Shortly after tubers reached botanical garden in

Netherlands, where they were grown and spread as ornamental plants, until it was

understood, that tubers are nutritious , good tasting, good for nutrition. 1616 m. potatoes, like

rare and delicate meal, were only served in Paris for king’s table. Tasty, farinaceous tubers

were firstly called truffles. Since 1651 m. potatoes are grown for food. This was first done by

Germans.

Potatoes reached Lithuania when king of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania August III was

ruling. At first potato fields spread in lands of Estates but not long after they were grown by

all farmers.

Potato– solanaceous, root plant. More than 200 breeds are known. They are

different by color of the skin and flesh, shape of tuber and his composition.

Potatoes grows best in drained, fertile soil, plant is quite resistant bad weather

conditions, simple to grow, nutritious. Currently, potatoes are grown in all

continents, used for food and feeding animals, also used in industry. Most of them

are grown and consumed in Europe. This is one of the most important food plants,

all kinds of meals are prepared from them. Potatoes are highly suitable for children

nutrition. Kids uptake starch and other nutritious materials from potatoes well,

potatoes does not cause allergy. They accumulate less nitrates, compared to other

vegetables. This vegetable has a lot of potassium (more than bananas), vitamin C,

B group vitamins, protein, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, water.

By writing this project we want to show how potatoes are

grown in Lithuania, what kind of meals are made and how

widely is the culture of this vegetable spread.

Our main goal – to show differences between potatoes grown

for a wholesale trade and potatoes which are grown

ecologically.

Main meals in Lithuania are made from potatoes. Although

people eating habits change and less of this vegetable is being

eaten, potato will always find it’s place on our table. In our

country Cepelinai with meat became traditional meal.

Thus, we show you recipe of Cepelinai, way to make them

and a short video of how it’s made.

Ingredients:

• 12 raw potatoes.

• Three cooked potatoes.

• A pinch of salt.

• A spoon of source cream.

• 500 grams of minced meat.

• 2 onions.

• 2 spoons of dissolved pig fat.

• Back peppers.

Peeled potatoes are grated and drained. Liquid is not discarded, but we

wait until starch will gather. Then liquid is discarded, while starch is added

into grated potatoes mass. Cooked potatoes are mashed and mixes with

grated raw potatoes, starch, everything is salted and mixed. We take

around 80 g of dough, flatten it, put on some stuffing, then we bend it,

firmly press on edges and make prolonged dumplings. They are put into

salted boiling water and cooked for 20 – 25 minutes, mixing it carefully.

Taken out of water, cepelinai are put into a warmed bowl and covered

toasted in fat onions with source cream, greaves.

Cepelinai stuffing is made from raw or cooked meat, fat, liver or curd,

mushrooms and other.

For cepelinai with meat stuffing toasted onions, flavored with peppers and

salt into the meat.

Since we cooked from home grown potatoes and those which we bought in

super market, we got different results.

Cepelinai from bought potatoes lost its form, got indolent because:

1) Potatoes for selling are grown with chemicals, which increase growth,

preventing starch from forming, starch, is essential for cepelinai to keep

its form;

2) Potatoes are sprayed with all kinds of pesticides to protect from weeds,

parasites and diseases. These chemicals get into potatoes tubers and

destroy vitamin C. Vitamin allows potato to stay longer before it turns

black. Since vegetable does not have it, cepelinai changed their color.

Most people living in country side have vegetable gardens. All kinds of vegetables,

including potatoes, grow there. Since those gardens are rather small, people look after

them themselves: plant, water them, remove any weeds.

Rarely anyone, who is growing vegetables for his own need only, uses fertilizers,

pesticides or chemicals from parasites. This makes all conditions needed for vegetables

to form naturally. They don’t loose all their positive properties, remain nutritious and

tasty.

So that’s why cepelinai made from home grown potatoes, didn’t lost their color,

maintained their shape and were very tasty and nutritious. Food, made of natural

products is much tastier and healthier. Potatoes, which are grown ecologically are one of

the most nutritious products.

Grown ecologically, potato is a source of healthy food, so we

urge you to grow these vegetables at home or buy them in the

market from small farmers. By doing so you protect your

organism from pesticides. Pesticides and other chemicals can

disrupt your organism, weaken your immunity.

So, if you want to stay healthy and happy, eat food that is

ecological and well made!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION