2024年3月29日发(作者：冼自明)
A Brief History of Mashed Potatoes土豆泥
简史
作者：章志焰
来源：《英语世界》2021年第08期
在18世紀中叶的七年战争中，法军药剂师安托万一奥古斯丁·帕尔芒捷被普鲁士士兵俘
虏。身为战俘，帕尔芒捷被迫以定量配给的土豆度日。在当时的法国，土豆被认为是家畜饲
料，导致人类患上麻风病，因而这几乎相当于一种非比寻常的残酷惩罚。由于人们普遍对土豆
感到恐惧，法国在1748年通过了禁止种植土豆的法案。
2但帕尔芒捷在狱中发现，土豆并不会致人死亡。实际上，土豆非常可口。这名药剂师在
战争结束时获释，此后开始向其同胞宣传土豆块茎的奇妙之处。其中一个宣传方式就是，他演
示了土豆的所有美味烹饪方法，包括捣碎。1772年，法国解除了土豆禁令。数百年后的今
天，在许多国家的饭店都可以点到土豆泥，无论是快餐店还是高级餐厅。
土豆的起源
3土豆的原产地并非爱尔兰——亦非欧洲其他地方——土豆很可能是在秘鲁和玻利维亚西
北部的安第斯山脉中培育的，这些地区的人们至少在公元前8000年就已开始食用土豆。
4这些远古的土豆与我们今日熟知的土豆迥然不同。它们形状各异，大小有别，带有一种
无论如何烹饪都无法去除的苦味，而且还有轻微毒性。为了解毒，美洲驼的野生近缘种会在享
用土豆前舔舐黏土，将其中的毒素粘附到黏土颗粒上，以便安全食用。生活在安第斯山脉的人
们发现了个中奥妙，于是开始将土豆在混合着黏土的水中浸一浸，这样虽然有些倒胃口，但却
不失为一种去除土豆毒素的巧妙方法。时至今日，选择育种已让多数土豆品种可以安全食用，
但人们仍可以在安第斯山脉一带的市场买到一些有毒品种，这些品种会与帮助消化的黏土粉一
起销售。
5 16世纪，当西班牙探险家首次将土豆从南美洲带到欧洲时，土豆已被培育成一种完全可
以食用的作物。不过，土豆颇费了些时日才在异国他乡流行开来。
6有资料明确显示，苏格兰高地的人们因《圣经》没有提及土豆而对这一作物嗤之以鼻，
在耶稣受难日种植土豆、有时在上面洒圣水等习俗表明，人们在吃土豆时心里存有某种顾虑。
土豆逐渐走人寻常百姓家，但争议也从未停歇。早期的土豆泥秘方
7帕尔芒捷等少数土豆倡导者成功扭转了土豆的形象。18世纪，英格兰作家汉娜·格拉斯
在其食谱书《烹饪的艺术》中向读者传授了土豆泥的制作方法：煮土豆，去皮，将土豆倒入炖
锅，并加入牛奶、黄油和少许食盐后捣成泥。美国作家玛丽·伦道夫在其著作《弗吉尼亚家庭
主妇》中公布了一种土豆泥的做法：一磅土豆须加入半盎司黄油和一汤勺牛奶。
8爱尔兰对土豆的钟爱之情无出其右。这种耐寒、营养丰富的食物似乎是为这个岛屿的严
寒冬季量身定制的。英格兰和爱尔兰之间的战争很可能加速了土豆融入爱尔兰的进程;由于重
要的可食用部分长在地下，土豆更容易躲过战争的蹂躏。爱尔兰人也非常喜爱土豆泥，常常加
入卷心菜或羽衣甘蓝，制成卷心菜土豆泥。对爱尔兰人而言，土豆不仅是一道主食，也是民族
身份的一部分。
9但这一充满传奇色彩的作物存在一个重大缺陷：容易遭受病害，尤其是马铃薯晚疫病
菌。19世纪40年代，当这种病菌侵入爱尔兰，农民失去了生计，许多家庭失去了主要的食物
来源。爱尔兰马铃薯饥荒夺去了100万人的生命（相当于该国人口的八分之一）。英国政府方
面并未向其爱尔兰属民提供多少帮助。
10人意料的是，此次马铃薯饥荒却促进了农业科学的蓬勃发展。查尔斯·达尔文在人道主
义和科学层面对马铃薯晚疫病问题产生了兴趣。他本人甚至资助了爱尔兰的一项土豆育种计
划。通过使用克服了晚疫病的土豆和南美洲的新品种，欧洲农学家最终成功培育出健康、适应
能力强的土豆品系，恢复了这种作物的产量。这一进展带动了植物遗传学方面的研究热潮，成
为更大规模科学运动的一部分，这一运动包括格雷戈尔·孟德尔在豌豆方面的开创性工作。
土豆泥的制作工具
11大约在20世纪初期，一种称为压粒器的工具开始出现在家庭厨房中。这是一种精巧的
金属装置，类似大号的压蒜器，与米粒并无关系。煮熟的土豆在挤压之下通过压粒器底部的小
孔后，变成像米粒一样细小的颗粒。
即食土豆泥的演变
12 20世纪50年代，在当今的美国农业部东部地区研究中心（位于费城郊区），研究人员
发明了一种新的土豆脱水方法，用于制作能在家中快速复水的土豆薄片。不久之后，现代即食
土豆泥便横空出世。土豆薄片的问世恰逢当时方便食品兴起，助力土豆消费在20世纪60年代
迎来回升，一改此前多年的颓势。
During the Seven Years War1 of the mid-1700s， a French army pharmacist named Antoine-
Augustin Parmentier was captured by Prussian soldiers. As a prisoner of war， he was forced to live
on rations of potatoes. In mid-18th century France， this would practically qualify as cruel and
unusual punishment： potatoes were thought of as feed for livestock， and they were believed to
cause leprosy in humans. The fear was so widespread that the French passed a law against them in
1748.
But as Parmentier discovered in prison， potatoes weren’t deadly. In fact， they were pretty
tasty. Following his release at the end of the war， the pharmacist began to proselytize2 to his
countrymen about the wonders of the tuber. One way he did this was by demonstrating all the
delicious ways it could be served， including mashed. By 1772， France had lifted its potato ban.
Centuries later， you can order mashed potatoes in dozens of countries， in restaurants ranging from
fast food to fine dining.
The origins of the potato
Potatoes aren’t native to Ireland—or anywhere in Europe， for that matter. They were most
likely domesticated3 in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia， where they were being
used for food at least as far back as 8000 BCE.
These early potatoes were very different from the potatoes we know today. They came in a
variety of shapes and sizes and had a bitter taste that no amount of cooking could get rid of. They were
also slightly poisonous. To combat this toxicity， wild relatives of the llama would lick clay before
eating them. The toxins in the potatoes would stick to the clay particles， allowing the animals to
consume them safely. People in the Andes noticed this and started dunking their potatoes in a mixture
of clay and water—not the most appetizing gravy， perhaps， but an ingenious solution to their
potato problem. Even today， when selective breeding has made most potato varieties safe to eat，
some poisonous varieties can still be bought in Andean markets， where they’re sold alongside
digestion-aiding clay dust.
By the time Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes to Europe from South America in the
16th century， they had been bred into a fully edible plant. It took them a while to catch on4
overseas， though.
There are clear references to people in the Scottish Highlands disliking that potatoes weren’t
mentioned in the Bible， and customs like planting potatoes on Good Friday5 and sometimes
sprinkling them with holy water suggest some kind of fraught6 relationship to potato consumption.
They were becoming increasingly common， but not without controversy.
Early mashed potato recipes
A handful of potato advocates， including Parmentier， were able to turn the potato’s image
around. In her 18th-century recipe book The Art of Cookery， English author Hannah Glasse
instructed readers to boil potatoes， peel them， put them into a saucepan， and mash them well
with milk， butter， and a little salt. In the United States， Mary Randolph published a recipe for
mashed potatoes in her book， The Virginia Housewife， that called for half an ounce of butter and a
tablespoon of milk for a pound of potatoes.
But no country embraced the potato like Ireland. The hardy， nutrient-dense food seemed tailor-
made for the island’s harsh winters. And wars between England and Ireland likely accelerated its
adaptation there; since the important part grows underground， it had a better chance of surviving
military activity. Irish people also liked their potatoes mashed， often with cabbage or kale in a dish
known as colcannon. Potatoes were more than just a staple food7 there; they became part of the Irish
identity.
The origins of the potato
Potatoes aren’t native to Ireland—or anywhere in Europe， for that matter. They were most
likely domesticated3 in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia， where they were being
used for food at least as far back as 8000 BCE.
These early potatoes were very different from the potatoes we know today. They came in a
variety of shapes and sizes and had a bitter taste that no amount of cooking could get rid of. They were
also slightly poisonous. To combat this toxicity， wild relatives of the llama would lick clay before
eating them. The toxins in the potatoes would stick to the clay particles， allowing the animals to
consume them safely. People in the Andes noticed this and started dunking their potatoes in a mixture
of clay and water—not the most appetizing gravy， perhaps， but an ingenious solution to their
potato problem. Even today， when selective breeding has made most potato varieties safe to eat，
some poisonous varieties can still be bought in Andean markets， where they’re sold alongside
digestion-aiding clay dust.
By the time Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes to Europe from South America in the
16th century， they had been bred into a fully edible plant. It took them a while to catch on4
overseas， though.
There are clear references to people in the Scottish Highlands disliking that potatoes weren’t
mentioned in the Bible， and customs like planting potatoes on Good Friday5 and sometimes
sprinkling them with holy water suggest some kind of fraught6 relationship to potato consumption.
They were becoming increasingly common， but not without controversy.
Early mashed potato recipes
A handful of potato advocates， including Parmentier， were able to turn the potato’s image
around. In her 18th-century recipe book The Art of Cookery， English author Hannah Glasse
instructed readers to boil potatoes， peel them， put them into a saucepan， and mash them well
with milk， butter， and a little salt. In the United States， Mary Randolph published a recipe for
mashed potatoes in her book， The Virginia Housewife， that called for half an ounce of butter and a
tablespoon of milk for a pound of potatoes.
But no country embraced the potato like Ireland. The hardy， nutrient-dense food seemed tailor-
made for the island’s harsh winters. And wars between England and Ireland likely accelerated its
adaptation there; since the important part grows underground， it had a better chance of surviving
military activity. Irish people also liked their potatoes mashed， often with cabbage or kale in a dish
known as colcannon. Potatoes were more than just a staple food7 there; they became part of the Irish
identity.
2024年3月29日发(作者：冼自明)
A Brief History of Mashed Potatoes土豆泥
简史
作者：章志焰
来源：《英语世界》2021年第08期
在18世紀中叶的七年战争中，法军药剂师安托万一奥古斯丁·帕尔芒捷被普鲁士士兵俘
虏。身为战俘，帕尔芒捷被迫以定量配给的土豆度日。在当时的法国，土豆被认为是家畜饲
料，导致人类患上麻风病，因而这几乎相当于一种非比寻常的残酷惩罚。由于人们普遍对土豆
感到恐惧，法国在1748年通过了禁止种植土豆的法案。
2但帕尔芒捷在狱中发现，土豆并不会致人死亡。实际上，土豆非常可口。这名药剂师在
战争结束时获释，此后开始向其同胞宣传土豆块茎的奇妙之处。其中一个宣传方式就是，他演
示了土豆的所有美味烹饪方法，包括捣碎。1772年，法国解除了土豆禁令。数百年后的今
天，在许多国家的饭店都可以点到土豆泥，无论是快餐店还是高级餐厅。
土豆的起源
3土豆的原产地并非爱尔兰——亦非欧洲其他地方——土豆很可能是在秘鲁和玻利维亚西
北部的安第斯山脉中培育的，这些地区的人们至少在公元前8000年就已开始食用土豆。
4这些远古的土豆与我们今日熟知的土豆迥然不同。它们形状各异，大小有别，带有一种
无论如何烹饪都无法去除的苦味，而且还有轻微毒性。为了解毒，美洲驼的野生近缘种会在享
用土豆前舔舐黏土，将其中的毒素粘附到黏土颗粒上，以便安全食用。生活在安第斯山脉的人
们发现了个中奥妙，于是开始将土豆在混合着黏土的水中浸一浸，这样虽然有些倒胃口，但却
不失为一种去除土豆毒素的巧妙方法。时至今日，选择育种已让多数土豆品种可以安全食用，
但人们仍可以在安第斯山脉一带的市场买到一些有毒品种，这些品种会与帮助消化的黏土粉一
起销售。
5 16世纪，当西班牙探险家首次将土豆从南美洲带到欧洲时，土豆已被培育成一种完全可
以食用的作物。不过，土豆颇费了些时日才在异国他乡流行开来。
6有资料明确显示，苏格兰高地的人们因《圣经》没有提及土豆而对这一作物嗤之以鼻，
在耶稣受难日种植土豆、有时在上面洒圣水等习俗表明，人们在吃土豆时心里存有某种顾虑。
土豆逐渐走人寻常百姓家，但争议也从未停歇。早期的土豆泥秘方
7帕尔芒捷等少数土豆倡导者成功扭转了土豆的形象。18世纪，英格兰作家汉娜·格拉斯
在其食谱书《烹饪的艺术》中向读者传授了土豆泥的制作方法：煮土豆，去皮，将土豆倒入炖
锅，并加入牛奶、黄油和少许食盐后捣成泥。美国作家玛丽·伦道夫在其著作《弗吉尼亚家庭
主妇》中公布了一种土豆泥的做法：一磅土豆须加入半盎司黄油和一汤勺牛奶。
8爱尔兰对土豆的钟爱之情无出其右。这种耐寒、营养丰富的食物似乎是为这个岛屿的严
寒冬季量身定制的。英格兰和爱尔兰之间的战争很可能加速了土豆融入爱尔兰的进程;由于重
要的可食用部分长在地下，土豆更容易躲过战争的蹂躏。爱尔兰人也非常喜爱土豆泥，常常加
入卷心菜或羽衣甘蓝，制成卷心菜土豆泥。对爱尔兰人而言，土豆不仅是一道主食，也是民族
身份的一部分。
9但这一充满传奇色彩的作物存在一个重大缺陷：容易遭受病害，尤其是马铃薯晚疫病
菌。19世纪40年代，当这种病菌侵入爱尔兰，农民失去了生计，许多家庭失去了主要的食物
来源。爱尔兰马铃薯饥荒夺去了100万人的生命（相当于该国人口的八分之一）。英国政府方
面并未向其爱尔兰属民提供多少帮助。
10人意料的是，此次马铃薯饥荒却促进了农业科学的蓬勃发展。查尔斯·达尔文在人道主
义和科学层面对马铃薯晚疫病问题产生了兴趣。他本人甚至资助了爱尔兰的一项土豆育种计
划。通过使用克服了晚疫病的土豆和南美洲的新品种，欧洲农学家最终成功培育出健康、适应
能力强的土豆品系，恢复了这种作物的产量。这一进展带动了植物遗传学方面的研究热潮，成
为更大规模科学运动的一部分，这一运动包括格雷戈尔·孟德尔在豌豆方面的开创性工作。
土豆泥的制作工具
11大约在20世纪初期，一种称为压粒器的工具开始出现在家庭厨房中。这是一种精巧的
金属装置，类似大号的压蒜器，与米粒并无关系。煮熟的土豆在挤压之下通过压粒器底部的小
孔后，变成像米粒一样细小的颗粒。
即食土豆泥的演变
12 20世纪50年代，在当今的美国农业部东部地区研究中心（位于费城郊区），研究人员
发明了一种新的土豆脱水方法，用于制作能在家中快速复水的土豆薄片。不久之后，现代即食
土豆泥便横空出世。土豆薄片的问世恰逢当时方便食品兴起，助力土豆消费在20世纪60年代
迎来回升，一改此前多年的颓势。
During the Seven Years War1 of the mid-1700s， a French army pharmacist named Antoine-
Augustin Parmentier was captured by Prussian soldiers. As a prisoner of war， he was forced to live
on rations of potatoes. In mid-18th century France， this would practically qualify as cruel and
unusual punishment： potatoes were thought of as feed for livestock， and they were believed to
cause leprosy in humans. The fear was so widespread that the French passed a law against them in
1748.
But as Parmentier discovered in prison， potatoes weren’t deadly. In fact， they were pretty
tasty. Following his release at the end of the war， the pharmacist began to proselytize2 to his
countrymen about the wonders of the tuber. One way he did this was by demonstrating all the
delicious ways it could be served， including mashed. By 1772， France had lifted its potato ban.
Centuries later， you can order mashed potatoes in dozens of countries， in restaurants ranging from
fast food to fine dining.
The origins of the potato
Potatoes aren’t native to Ireland—or anywhere in Europe， for that matter. They were most
likely domesticated3 in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia， where they were being
used for food at least as far back as 8000 BCE.
These early potatoes were very different from the potatoes we know today. They came in a
variety of shapes and sizes and had a bitter taste that no amount of cooking could get rid of. They were
also slightly poisonous. To combat this toxicity， wild relatives of the llama would lick clay before
eating them. The toxins in the potatoes would stick to the clay particles， allowing the animals to
consume them safely. People in the Andes noticed this and started dunking their potatoes in a mixture
of clay and water—not the most appetizing gravy， perhaps， but an ingenious solution to their
potato problem. Even today， when selective breeding has made most potato varieties safe to eat，
some poisonous varieties can still be bought in Andean markets， where they’re sold alongside
digestion-aiding clay dust.
By the time Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes to Europe from South America in the
16th century， they had been bred into a fully edible plant. It took them a while to catch on4
overseas， though.
There are clear references to people in the Scottish Highlands disliking that potatoes weren’t
mentioned in the Bible， and customs like planting potatoes on Good Friday5 and sometimes
sprinkling them with holy water suggest some kind of fraught6 relationship to potato consumption.
They were becoming increasingly common， but not without controversy.
Early mashed potato recipes
A handful of potato advocates， including Parmentier， were able to turn the potato’s image
around. In her 18th-century recipe book The Art of Cookery， English author Hannah Glasse
instructed readers to boil potatoes， peel them， put them into a saucepan， and mash them well
with milk， butter， and a little salt. In the United States， Mary Randolph published a recipe for
mashed potatoes in her book， The Virginia Housewife， that called for half an ounce of butter and a
tablespoon of milk for a pound of potatoes.
But no country embraced the potato like Ireland. The hardy， nutrient-dense food seemed tailor-
made for the island’s harsh winters. And wars between England and Ireland likely accelerated its
adaptation there; since the important part grows underground， it had a better chance of surviving
military activity. Irish people also liked their potatoes mashed， often with cabbage or kale in a dish
known as colcannon. Potatoes were more than just a staple food7 there; they became part of the Irish
identity.
The origins of the potato
Potatoes aren’t native to Ireland—or anywhere in Europe， for that matter. They were most
likely domesticated3 in the Andes mountains of Peru and northwest Bolivia， where they were being
used for food at least as far back as 8000 BCE.
These early potatoes were very different from the potatoes we know today. They came in a
variety of shapes and sizes and had a bitter taste that no amount of cooking could get rid of. They were
also slightly poisonous. To combat this toxicity， wild relatives of the llama would lick clay before
eating them. The toxins in the potatoes would stick to the clay particles， allowing the animals to
consume them safely. People in the Andes noticed this and started dunking their potatoes in a mixture
of clay and water—not the most appetizing gravy， perhaps， but an ingenious solution to their
potato problem. Even today， when selective breeding has made most potato varieties safe to eat，
some poisonous varieties can still be bought in Andean markets， where they’re sold alongside
digestion-aiding clay dust.
By the time Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes to Europe from South America in the
16th century， they had been bred into a fully edible plant. It took them a while to catch on4
overseas， though.
There are clear references to people in the Scottish Highlands disliking that potatoes weren’t
mentioned in the Bible， and customs like planting potatoes on Good Friday5 and sometimes
sprinkling them with holy water suggest some kind of fraught6 relationship to potato consumption.
They were becoming increasingly common， but not without controversy.
Early mashed potato recipes
A handful of potato advocates， including Parmentier， were able to turn the potato’s image
around. In her 18th-century recipe book The Art of Cookery， English author Hannah Glasse
instructed readers to boil potatoes， peel them， put them into a saucepan， and mash them well
with milk， butter， and a little salt. In the United States， Mary Randolph published a recipe for
mashed potatoes in her book， The Virginia Housewife， that called for half an ounce of butter and a
tablespoon of milk for a pound of potatoes.
But no country embraced the potato like Ireland. The hardy， nutrient-dense food seemed tailor-
made for the island’s harsh winters. And wars between England and Ireland likely accelerated its
adaptation there; since the important part grows underground， it had a better chance of surviving
military activity. Irish people also liked their potatoes mashed， often with cabbage or kale in a dish
known as colcannon. Potatoes were more than just a staple food7 there; they became part of the Irish
identity.