The Political Hot Potato

 

Vital. Maligned. Mysterious. How well do you really know the potato? During the 16th century, Europeans fell in love with a number of exotic plants from the New World. But the potato wasn't one of them.

It would take two centuries and a spectacular PR campaign for people to even consider eating the ugly vegetable. But once the potato took root, it determined the fortunes of nations as no other crop has ever done before.