6.02.2008
Dem's fightin' words
Solanum Tuberosum, uploaded by FoodCultura
Ok, Chile. You can sack Lima, burn down the national library and even attempt to abscond with the bragging rights for Pisco. But don't even try to lay claim to the potato.
According to Marigen Hornkohl, Chile’s agriculture minister: “Few people know that 99 percent of the world’s potatoes have some type of genetic link to potatoes from Chile.”
Of course what's left out is the fact that those potatoes from Chile came from north of the border.
The last war between Chile and Peru was over guano. The next one might be over verbal guano. I propose spud guns at 50 paces to settle this whole matter. And then wash it all down with Peruvian Pisco and Chilean Carmenere.
Read Chile and Peru Vie in Spat Over Spud, in the NYTimes.
