Irish potato
Famine-era staple
The common white potato, as distinguished from the sweet potato.
The term reflects Ireland's historical association with potato cultivation, though the plant originated in South America.
The phrase appears mainly in Southern American dialects and older cookbooks: Mash the Irish potatoes and add butter.
Elsewhere, simply "potato" suffices.
Underground nutrient reservoir
- starchComplex plant carbohydrate
- spudPotato, colloquially
- mashedCrushed to softness
- roastedCooked uncovered with heat
boiled · fried · baked · chips · fries · latke · gnocchi · hashbrowns
Simply prepared, like family cooking
- heartyWarm and substantial
- nourishmentFood that sustains life
- cozinessComfortable warm intimacy
- warmthHeat you feel
soothing · fulfilling · satisfying · mashed · baked · buttery · creamy · casserole
Often toxic plant family
- tuberUnderground nutrient reservoir
- cultivarBred plant variety
- eyesOrgans of sight
- sproutsNew growth from seeds
perennial · starchy · floury · waxy · russet · fingerling · heirloom · variety
Ground matter for planting
- loamFertile soil mixture
- terroirGeography's influence on taste
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
- peatWaterlogged decomposed vegetation
tillage · cultivation · organic · compost · mulch · root vegetable · underground · dirt
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- 1840sFifth decade, nineteenth century
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
- depopulationLoss of inhabitants
phytophthora · landlord · eviction · coffin ships · workhouses · soup kitchens · relief · diaspora
tuber
Underground nutrient reservoir
roasted · boiled · fried · baked · chips · fries · latke · gnocchi · hashbrowns · tater tots
homestyle
Simply prepared, like family cooking
- heartyWarm and substantial
- nourishmentFood that sustains life
- cozinessComfortable warm intimacy
warmth · soothing · fulfilling · satisfying · mashed · baked · buttery · creamy · casserole · gratin
nightshade
Often toxic plant family
sprouts · perennial · starchy · floury · waxy · russet · fingerling · heirloom · variety · propagation
soil
Ground matter for planting
peat · tillage · cultivation · organic · compost · mulch · root vegetable · underground · dirt · garden
starvation
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- 1840sFifth decade, nineteenth century
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
depopulation · phytophthora · landlord · eviction · coffin ships · workhouses · soup kitchens · relief · diaspora · mass graves
autumn
Post-summer cooling period
bounty · field · farmer · agriculture · gathering · produce · seasonal · October · storing · root cellar