Dearest Hannah,
Potatoes were first cultivated in South America from a nasty, little, bitter tuber, which I find interesting in light of the massive amount of genetic engineering that has gone into these little spuds over the centuries. To answer your question, YES, green potatoes are poisonous: see urban legend article for why.
According to the Joy of Cooking:
"Select potatoes that are firm and heavy for their size, with taught skin and no cuts, dark spots, cracks, mold, or other signs of spoilage. If there is a greenish cast to the potato or a green patch on it, avoid it - the green part was exposed to the sun and will be bitter (even mildly toxic). Avoid those that have sprouted; they will be soft and even bitter. Store potatoes, unwashed and unwrapped, in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place. After storing, should you find your potatoes have turned green or begoun to sprout, cut off the green or sprout with 1/4 ince of the flush beneath it (or discard them)." p. 407
Rombauer, I. S., Becker, Marion, R., & Becker, E. Joy of Cooking. New York: Scribner, 1997.
I hope this helps!
love,
Ellen
No comments:
Post a Comment