Sometimes I think I just enjoy a challenge.

How much – really – can one say about today’s commemorating National Potato Day? We all know what they are. Nobody debates its pronunciation as they do “tomato.” Many of us enjoy them in a variety of ways but how much time – really – does one need to devote to musing on potatoes?

Instead of hurrying to the Internet for help as is my wont, I turned first to a favorite, “Too Many Tomatoes, Squash, Beans and Other Good Things, a cookbook for When Your Garden Explodes,” by Lois M. Landau and Laura G. Myers. “Exploding” gardens is hardly a problem here though I do enjoy many of their suggestions and recipes.

Let me share parts of their wisdom with you: “Many contemporary Americans think of the potato as a fattening food to avoid, and a plant native to the British Isles. Wrong on both counts! Yes, compared to most vegetables, the potato is high in calories and carbohydrates, but it contains more protein and is a good source of iron, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and vitamins C and B. It is satisfying and offers much for its weight in calories.

“As to the Europeans and potatoes,” the authors continue, “they did not begin cultivating the potato until the sixteenth or seventeenth century. The potato is native to Chile, brought north by the Indians. It was finally a major crop in Ireland by the mid-seventeenth century.”

And, just so you know, the sweet potato “is not related to the white potato. It is a tuber plant of the morning glory family.”

Potatoes may be boiled, fried, roasted or baked. The older ladies of Warren were far more imaginative listing chips, croquettes, doughnuts, omelet, pie, puff, rolls, soup and stuffing as well as adding to the mundane four above browned, creamed, escaloped, hash-browned, lyonnaise, mashed, riced, sacked (let’s get back to this one sometime), stuffed and salad. I bet there are even more.

It’s helpful to know that potatoes do best when stored in a cool, moist, dark place. Wrapping them does no good. Exposed to too much sun, they can develop green spots which are caused by solanine. It turns out this mild coloring is also mildly poisonous. Oh. That also pertains to the plant’s sprouts and a tomato-like “fruit” which might grow on the top of the plant. Can’t say I’ve ever seen that.

I then read the story that a century or so ago many people decided potatoes were unhealthy and formed an association to discourage people from eating them. (I wouldn’t have been surprised to find the names of Kellogg and Graham on that roll.) The association was named the Society of the Prevention of Unwholesome Diets – and “spud” came from its initials.

Fun story but apparently without a grain of truth. I’m told now (Morris Dictionary) that the original “spud” was – and is – a sharp spade used to dig those potatoes up. Random House defines it as a spadelike instrument with a sharp blade using for digging up or cutting the roots of weeds. (Hmmm, I suspect I have one in the garage.) Mr. Webster prefers not to enter the fray at all.

Potato, potato – I’m already dreaming of what I feel have to be the world’s best curly fries.

Only hours yet to wait!

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Susan Crossett has lived outside Cassadaga for more than 20 years. A lifetime of writing led to these columns as well as two novels. Her Reason for Being was published in 2008 with Love in Three Acts appearing last year. Copies are available at Papaya Arts on the Boardwalk in Dunkirk and the Cassadaga ShurFine. Information on all the Musings, the books and the author may be found at Susancrossett.com.