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National Potato Day is Aug. 19 and, if there’s anything Atlantic Canadians know a lot about, it’s the versatile spud.

As the marketing director for the P.E.I. Potato Board, Kendra Mills is an authority on all things happening in the potato industry.

According to Mills, potatoes are a huge part of Atlantic Canadian culture for many reasons.

“It is and always has been affordable, nutritious and grows well in our climate,” she said.

The potato is certainly no stranger as a staple in the diets of the region.

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“If you look back generations, many of ancestors lived off of potatoes,” she noted.

And there are many reasons for this.

For starters, potatoes store well all winter.

“When everything else that you smoked, salted, canned or preserved was gone, potatoes were relied upon to fill hungry bellies,” said Mills. “We may eat differently now, but the basics still remain.”

She feels one reason why Atlantic Canadians love potatoes is simply that the region grows a lot of potatoes, many make their living from agriculture and, as a result, a lot of potatoes find their way into meals.

Tara Antle of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is a nutritionist in private practice and is the business owner of Healthy Balance Holistic Health Group.

Antle noted that potatoes are high in many nutrients, including fibre, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, as well as manganese.

In moderation, she said potatoes are enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced eating routine.

“Too much of anything, even if it’s a healthy thing, is not necessarily a good thing,” she cautioned.

Moderation and portion size are key.

Antle recommended a small to medium-sized potato with skins on once or twice a week as being a healthy fit.

Potatoes with the skins on, darker colored skins (such as red or blue potato) and sweet potatoes, have many benefits.

“They have a higher fibre content and sit a little lower on the Glycemic Index, meaning they help with blood sugar regulation and with burning their fuel more efficiently as the absorption of the sugars into our blood stream is slowed down,” explained Antle. “As well, they help strengthen our immune system, collagen formation, increase energy, help with fluid balance, help with blood pressure regulation, help with electrolyte balance and bone health.”

Antle said the best way to prepare a potato is by baking it with the skins on as this results in the lowest amount of nutrients lost during the cooking process.

She added that cooking methods such as boiling contribute to the loss of water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and the B vitamins.

“Boiling potatoes can also denature other nutrients, causing them to be displaced and broken down into the water it is cooked in,” she said.

If you do boil your potatoes Antle recommended “keeping the nutrient dense water they are cooked in to freeze and use for stock when making soups or stews or stir fry sauce.”

  Vickie's Fring Frang (Potato Galette)

On Sherrie Graham’s website Nova Scotia Kitchens, she shares recipes, audio, and photographs from her visits to kitchens all over Nova Scotia.

The Yarmouth County native has collected and documented recipes for snacks and drinks, main dishes, breads, and desserts.

Obtained from Graham’s friend Vickie, the recipe for Fring Frang (Potato Galette) is an Acadian fried potato dish.

“It's a simple, hearty, warming meal that Vickie serves with homemade bread and butter pickles.”

She describes it as a hearty meal of fried potatoes which requires very little from the pantry.

1. Grate the potatoes and onion on a box grater or using a food processor, alternating between the potato and onion.

2. Stir, and add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Add a generous amount of cooking oil to the pan. Place grated potato mixture in pan.

4. Option 1: For Fring Frang in the potato galette style that Vicki makes it: press the potato mixture into a single large pancake. Cover with a lid. Using a plate to support the pancake, flip it over halfway through cooking to brown the other side.

5. Option 2: For a Fring Frang more consistent with the dish traditionally made by Acadians in Clare, N.S., place the potato and onion mixture in the oiled pan. As it cooks, flip occasionally with a spatula in loose sections, with the goal of building up as much of a crispy crust as possible.

6. Serve with bread and butter pickles or ketchup.

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