Potatoes   A bulb and tuber vegetable. Also member of nightshade family. Ancient Incas were cultivating them thousands of years ago (Bolivia and Peru) .The white potato originated in America, and Sir Walter Raleigh is credited with taking potatoes from Virginia and planting them in Ireland in the 16th century. This story though wide spread seems to have no foundation.  Most experts agree that the first potato probably did not arrive in Europe until the 1570's. 

Select   Firm, smooth, un-sprouted potatoes with skin intact.  Store white potatoes in a cool, dark, well ventilated place for up to 3 weeks. Use new potatoes immediately. Sweet potatoes can be stored in a cool room for up to several months.

Storage  Store at 45-48 degrees F. , In the dark avoiding natural and florescent lights, with good air circulation, and 95% humidity.  At temperatures below 42 degrees F. the starches in a potato begin to convert to sugar affecting the performance of the potato.
                                                                                      
Serve Hot, with meat, fish and poultry, in soups, casseroles and stews, stuffing, and hot potato salads.               

Cold, cooked, in salads. Cold sweet potatoes are used pureed as a base for jam.

Nutrition   5 oz cooked = 100 calories

Complimentary Condiments and Flavors   Butter, parsley, onion, herbs, eggs, bacon, cream, chives, cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup, French dressing.  

Specific Gravity:  Various studies, show that consumer like presorted potatoes for specific use, such as baking, mashing, boiling, or frying.  Such studies show a close relationship between the specific gravity of a potato and it's cooking characteristics exists which makes it possible to sort potatoes for specific uses.  The higher the specific gravity the more mealy the potato.  There for, a potato with a high specific gravity should be best for baking or mashing.  A potato with a lower specific would be higher in moisture and there for better for boiling, and an even lower specific gravity would make the potato preferred for frying.  In general a high specific gravity means that the potato has a relatively large amount of dry matter. A satisfactory specific gravity (relationship of an object's weight to that of an equal volume of water under standard conditions) for baking or mashing is considered to be 1.08.  Specific Gravity for boilers is between 1.07 and 1.08, and for fryers below 1.07.  Specific Gravity can be measures by making a salt solution of known density.  An example would be to make a solution of 1.08 specific gravity and all potatoes above 1.08 will sink, all potatoes that float can then be put in a solution of 1.07 etc. until all potatoes are sorted by specific gravity.