Color Me Blue
When Grandma J was just a little girl, she couldn't wait to go to school.
When she started kindergarten, she was thrilled to death because she wanted homework like her big brother. So did some of her classmates. After bugging the teacher for several weeks, they were assigned some homework. It wasn't much, but it was a fun project, and Grandma J was excited.
We were studying food groups, had just made some butter in class, and feasted on it by spreading it on saltine crackers. Next on our agenda was apple sauce....homemade apple sauce. Keeping with the food theme, and probably wanting to get an idea of what we ate at home, the teacher asked the kindergartners to color a picture of what they had for dinner that night as their homework.
This is what Little Grandma J turned in. Yeah, that's right, I still have the original picture in my mind...forever!
The teacher called her up and told her that she had mistakenly colored the potatoes the wrong color....they shouldn't be blue.
Yeah, too bad the teacher didn't know that the family that Grandma J lived with had blue potatoes. And they had a whole lot of blue potatoes. That's all she knew.
You see, Grandma J's grandparents were farmers, and the government....I don't know if it was the State or Federal Government, gave farmers surplus potatoes...lots of them. A basement full of surplus potatoes.....and they were dyed blue. The reason they were dyed blue was to prevent the farmers from selling them. They were for planting, and of course personal use if desired...and evidently Grandma J's grandparents not only desired, but they shared.
But guess what? In searching for information on government surplus "blue potatoes" I found out there is a real blue potato. Here's what it says about them.
.....
"All Blue Potatoes are very much like Purple Potatoes with a striking color and wonderful flavor and moist texture. Like the Purple Potato, they hold their shape after cooking so are perfect for a purple or blue potato salad and also make a fun blue mashed potato. Steam or bake to preserve the color".
Today, Grandma J could whip up a batch in no time flat....would you eat them?
When Grandma J was just a little girl, she couldn't wait to go to school.
When she started kindergarten, she was thrilled to death because she wanted homework like her big brother. So did some of her classmates. After bugging the teacher for several weeks, they were assigned some homework. It wasn't much, but it was a fun project, and Grandma J was excited.
We were studying food groups, had just made some butter in class, and feasted on it by spreading it on saltine crackers. Next on our agenda was apple sauce....homemade apple sauce. Keeping with the food theme, and probably wanting to get an idea of what we ate at home, the teacher asked the kindergartners to color a picture of what they had for dinner that night as their homework.
This is what Little Grandma J turned in. Yeah, that's right, I still have the original picture in my mind...forever!
The teacher called her up and told her that she had mistakenly colored the potatoes the wrong color....they shouldn't be blue.
Yeah, too bad the teacher didn't know that the family that Grandma J lived with had blue potatoes. And they had a whole lot of blue potatoes. That's all she knew.
You see, Grandma J's grandparents were farmers, and the government....I don't know if it was the State or Federal Government, gave farmers surplus potatoes...lots of them. A basement full of surplus potatoes.....and they were dyed blue. The reason they were dyed blue was to prevent the farmers from selling them. They were for planting, and of course personal use if desired...and evidently Grandma J's grandparents not only desired, but they shared.
But guess what? In searching for information on government surplus "blue potatoes" I found out there is a real blue potato. Here's what it says about them.
.....
"All Blue Potatoes are very much like Purple Potatoes with a striking color and wonderful flavor and moist texture. Like the Purple Potato, they hold their shape after cooking so are perfect for a purple or blue potato salad and also make a fun blue mashed potato. Steam or bake to preserve the color".
Today, Grandma J could whip up a batch in no time flat....would you eat them?
12 comments:
In a heartbeat!!
Yes! I have cooked the blue/purple potato here because my kids wanted me to buy them...they were interesting to say the least...but I didn't know about he ones you told about...how cool...and even cooler than that is that you remember...you should've set that teacher straight!
That is so much fun!!! And what a great history lesson I learned!
Yes, blue potatoes look inviting. Remember when one of the ketchup manufacturers colored the ketchup?
What fun!
As you know, I dont like potatoes, of any color.
But I do have vivid memories of my own Kindergarten, and loved attending too.
Heck yeah I'd eat em. Great story - I didn't know that about the dye. I have had the regular blue potatoes once - in some fancy restaurant somewhere.
OMG. I just went back and looked at your last ilustration. The picture of Emeril is hilarious.
That is such a cool story...I suppose that is where they get the blue chips from too?
I wonder what blue potatoes does to your...um...you know....#2????
yeah, it is always potty talk w/ me.
Hell yeah, I would try them. I love potatoes, who cares what color they are.
Okay...so I live in a dungeon....I've never seen blue potatoes! BUT you gave me an idea to dye my potatoes GREEN for ST PATTYS DAY! :)
THANK YOU!!!
And NO Teacher should have corrected any child for their coloring choices!!! (in my opinion!)
Blue French Fries! I cant wait!
Of course. That is SO cool : ). Kaishon would totally dig it! I love you even more now that I know you come from a farm family : ). Farmers are the life blood of our country! Happy Friday!
As you probably know, potatoes are harvested around July 4 (at least they are in VA). My grandfather used to grow red, white and blue potatoes in his garden as a small tribute to the holiday!! My sisters and I couldn't get enough of them:)
If you're making, I'm eating!
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