Vegetables

Potato

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the solanaceae family of flowering plants. It originated and was first domesticated in the Andesmountains of South America.

The potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, and global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tons.

There are more than 4,000 varieties of native potatoes, mostly found in the Andes. They come in many sizes and shapes. There are also over 180 wild potato species. Though they are too bitter to eat, their important biodiversity includes natural resistances to pests, diseases, and climatic conditions.

Potato is vegetatively propagated, meaning that a new plant can be grown from a potato or piece of potato, called a “seed”. The new plant can produce 5-20 new tubers, which will be genetic clones of the mother seed plant. Potato plants also produce flowers and berries that contain 100-400 botanical seeds. These can be planted to produce new tubers, which will be genetically different from the mother plant.

Onion (Red, Yellow & White Onion)

What is the difference between red yellow and white onions?

Red onions tend to have a much sharper flavor than yellow and white onions – which is why you might find yourself shedding more tears when you slice them, and why Scott Conant famously dislikes them on Chopped! However, while they have that sharp flavor, the sugar content is quite high.

Basically, if you’re going to eat an onion raw, the white onion is what you want to reach for. And while they’re pretty mild on their own, you can further tame their flame by slicing one thinly and giving it an hour-long soak in cold water—they’ll be so sweet, you can practically eat them like a salad.

Garlic

What are benefits of garlic?

Garlic and its secondary metabolites have shown excellent health-promoting and disease-preventing effects on many human common diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, blood pressure, and diabetes, through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties, as demonstrated in .

Garlic has been used, both medicinally and as a food or flavoring, since the dawn of recorded history. Ancient medical texts from as far afield as Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome discussed the medical uses of garlic. The Bible and Qur’an mention it, and while the plant is native to Central Asia, cloves dating back more than 3000 years were found in King Tut’s tomb.