Ever heard of Potato Fudge? Come to Prince Edward Island. The potato is one of their claims to fame. And you can taste and buy potato fudge.,
PEI is located north of Maine; the potato was cultivated by the Incas in Peru over 1800 years ago. How did it migrate? Spanish conquistadors are said to have brought the potato to Europe in the early 16th century, and from there it spread. By the end of the 17th century, it became the major crop in Ireland. They also were brought to Great Britain and from there they came to PEI. There are nearly 4,000 varieties of potato, mostly found in the Andes of South America (cipotato.org).
Potatoes are nutrient rich. They contain antioxidants. They can help digestion, are gluten-free, and are very filling. Seamen relied on them to avoid scurvy on their long journeys.
British settlers are credited with introducing the potato to PEI. The climate and soil conditions made the island a perfect place for potato farming. Now PEI is famous for its potatoes which are shipped all around the world. The soil is rich in iron (which makes it red), and there is the right amount of moisture during the growing season. Some of the most popular varieties of potato in PEI include Russet Burbank, Goldrush, Eva, Superior, Atlantic, Dakota Pearl, Red Norland, Chieftain, Prospect, Dakota Russet, and Satina. As we drove through the countryside, we passed potato field after potato field.
In O’Leary, there is a potato museum with a restaurant. The museum has a lot of antique potato-related farm machinery and agricultural artifacts as well as displays documenting the history of the potato, the growing process, and the problems that can occur. At the museum you can get a taste of Potato Fudge and the recipe. Don’t miss out on the potato fudge! All it takes is potato, sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, salt, and butter. It is creamy and yummy.
In addition to the museum is a restaurant—PEI Potato Country Kitchen—which offers Island-inspired potato dishes. We had the loaded baked potato. They were good.
That is some potato!