Frederick the Great’s Prussian Potato Plot

This article explores the fascinating story of King Frederick the Great of Prussia and his remarkable efforts to promote the cultivation and consumption of potatoes. Initially met with disdain and skepticism, potatoes were seen as repugnant or even poisonous by many Europeans. However, Frederick recognized the potential of potatoes to address the food security challenges faced by Prussia. The article describes how Frederick employed various strategies, such as issuing orders, distributing free seed potatoes, and highlighting their health benefits, to encourage the adoption of potatoes. Despite initial resistance, Frederick devised a clever plan by planting potatoes on royal land and allowing peasants to pilfer them. This created an allure of exclusivity and sparked widespread curiosity, ultimately leading to the acceptance and integration of potatoes into Prussian society. The article concludes by highlighting the profound impact of Frederick's endeavors, as potatoes became a symbol of sustenance, transformed German cuisine, and left a lasting legacy on a global scale.

[schweinsteiger]

Wow a wise king who cared about his people.

[clockworkvanhellsing]

Context: They were considered poisonus and inedible because potatoes are that. They are part of the nightshade family of plants that quite often produce poisonouse fruits. Potatoes have fuits that look like green cherry tomatoes and when they were first introduced, most people werent familiar with eating potatoes and thus ended up eating the poisonous fruits.
This caused the distrist for potatoes and according to the legend, it was only afterwards discovered by a gardener, that the root tubers can be eat. This happend when the gardener was tasked with burning the potatoe fields after some nobels were poisened because the ate the fruits during a banquet. The tubers were coocked by the heat of the burning field and apparently smelled so good, that the gardener tasted them and thus discovered, how to eat potatoes.

[PeterR-fu]

You should have tens of thousands of followers bro its so good ❤

[PeterR-fu]

This video is so good how do you not have more followers?

[cheesigurl]

Great video! I was surprised you don't have more followers, have 1 more :)

[schizoidboy]

It was the potato that kept Germany alive during WWII because they were stuck making all sorts of foods out of it when they running out of everything else.