Calling all Potato Lovers!

Posted by Mary Luz Mejia Feb 20, 2008

If you didn't know that 2008 has been designated by the United Nations as the "International Year of the Potato," consider yourself up to date. To commemorate the humble tuber, and to offer it as a sustainable crop that could feed our ever-growing populations, the UN website says, "The potato has been consumed in the Andes for about 8 000 years. Taken by the Spanish to Europe in the 16th century, it quickly spread across the globe: today potatoes are grown on an estimated 195 000 sq km, or 75 000 square miles, of farmland, from China's Yunnan plateau and the subtropical lowlands of India, to Java's equatorial highlands and the steppes of Ukraine. In terms of sheer quantity harvested, the humble potato tuber is the world's No. 4 food crop, with production in 2006 of almost 315 million tonnes (about 347 million US tons). More than half of that total was harvested in developing countries."

With that in mind, local Toronto restaurant La Cocina de Doña Luz along with the Peruvian Chamber of Commerce and the Patron of Peruvian Arts are holding a recipe contest in which the potato features prominently.

If you've got a potato-based recipe that you love makes your taste buds soar- be it an International recipe (from anywhere in the world) or a Peruvian recipe (these are the 2 categories), click here to enter yours for a chance to win!

Prizes include: a round trip to the Caribbean, jewellery, and more! Plus, your family favourite will be kept safe and sound for future generations to enjoy. Deadline for entry submission is March 20th.

Go on, you have NOTHING to lose, and yours truly will be one of the esteemed judges at this event! To submit your recipe, click here!