Boiled potatoes

My life as a potato

Before van Gogh became famous, he was Dutch. Like me. I am not famous, but like Vincent I have moved to the South of France. He lived near Arles, in the Gard, I live in Montpellier, in the neighbouring Département of the Hérault. Like van Gogh, I have spent time in London and my letters and emails are, just like his, in Dutch, English and French.

I could totally identify with his painting of the Potato Eaters. I first saw it when I still lived in Holland, and promptly bought the postcard. I think I may still have it, even though I have moved more than twenty times since.

When I first left my parents house and became a student, I vowed never to boil another potato ever again. I occasionally ate chips – well, I was a student – but I would cook rice, pasta, bulghur, couscous, pizza, anything, to avoid having to eat spuds.

And then I went to England and discovered baked potatoes, roast potatoes, mash and baby potatoes. I went to France and had pommes dauphinoises and raclette. I went to China and had the most delicious spicy fried potatoes with coriander, rosti in Switzerland and latkes in Jewish cuisine.

I am now, yet again, a potato eater. It's great comfort food and very cheap: whenever I feel low, or cold, or stuck or I don't have any money, I make a potato dish. The Chinese one is easy: cube a medium sized potato, part boil, fry up in a wok or ordinary frying pan with spring onions and chilli (fresh or powder or both), add a handful of coriander and sprinkle with salt. That's it! I feel better already! The baked potato takes longer, but with butter and grated cheese or, when I'm really poor, a large dollop of baked beans, very satisfying.

So, I will post all the recipes with potatoes I can think of, I have tried and tested all of them and most of them are in one way or another, connected with events or times in my life.

A potato blog! Well, why not!