Potatoes really get a bad break. Their bad reputation claims potatoes are fattening. This is because of the fast food craze for french fries. It isn't the potato that is the problem, it's the fat that it is fried in. The reality is that a potato can be an important part of any diet.

You can almost think of a potato as a big vitamin pill. A potato can provide much of the recommended daily allowance of a number of vitamins and minerals. It contains 45 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. It has as much or more potassium than either bananas, spinach or broccoli. It also contains trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc all for only 100 calories and no fat.

It also has natural fiber and even more if you eat the skin. A six-ounce potato contains three grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, giving it the potential of being a meal in itself. For the carb watchers, a six-ounce potato has 23-25 grams of carbs. This is a reasonable amount considering what you get in return. What a treat with all those vitamins and minerals, combined with great flavor.

Potatoes have even played an important part in history.

In the ancient ruins of Peru and Chile, archaeologists have found potato remains that date back to 500 B.C. The Incas grew, ate and also worshipped them. They even buried potatoes with their dead, they stashed potatoes in concealed bins for use in case of war or famine, they dried them, and carried them on long journeys to eat on the way. Ancient Inca potatoes had dark purplish skins and yellow flesh. The Incas called the potato “papas,” as they do today.

Spanish explorers took the potato to Spain in place of the gold they did not find. They didn't realize the true value of what they had discovered. The Spanish thought that they were a kind of truffle and called them “tartuffo.” Potatoes were soon a standard supply item on the Spanish ships. They noticed that the sailors who ate potatoes did not suffer from scurvy.

The potato became one of the most important staples of the European and eventually the American diet. Nowhere was it more important than in Ireland. The “Great Famine,” also called the “Great Starvation,” in Ireland was caused because the potato crop became diseased. In 1845, at the height of the famine, at least one million people died of starvation. This famine left many poverty-stricken families with no choice but to struggle for survival or emigrate out of Ireland. Towns became deserted, and all the best shops closed because storeowners were forced to emigrate due to the amount of unemployment. More than one and a half million people left Ireland for North America and Australia. Over just a few years, the population of Ireland dropped by one half, from about 9 million to little more than 4 million.

Today, the potato is so common and plentiful in the Western diet that it is taken for granted. We seem to forget that the potato has only been with us for a few hundred years.

An old Irish saying goes, “Only two things in this world are too serious to be jested on, potatoes and matrimony.” An old myth states that a potato in your pocket will cure rheumatism and eczema, and if you have a wart, rub it with a cut potato, then bury the potato in the ground. As the potato rots in the ground, your wart will disappear.

Now, I am not so sure about these medicinal qualities but I do know that there are some amazing recipes that include potatoes and here are two that I hope you will like. They are both side dishes. One is for the most amazing garlic mashed potatoes. The second requires a little preparation but would be a real showstopper at your next dinner party. Both recipes are courtesy Michael Chiarello, Food Network. Enjoy.

This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net

aPotato Cakes with Mozzarella and Pesto

Makes 8 servings

3 pounds large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small jar store bought pesto sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bake the potatoes right on an oven rack until a bit overcooked, about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the flesh. Reserve the potato skins, if desired, for another use.

Lower the oven to 250 degrees.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 6 cups. Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper, and then divide them into 16 equal balls. Press each ball into a patty about 1/3-inch thick.

Cut half of the cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Place a piece of cheese in the middle of each of 8 patties. Cover with the remaining patties. Shape the patties into smooth disks. Lightly dust the patties on both sides with flour. (Potato patties can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated up to one day before cooking.)

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat until the oil just begins to smoke. Place four patties in the skillet. When you hear the patties sizzle, lower the heat to medium. Cook until brown and crispy on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total, turning once. If the potatoes absorb all the oil, add another tablespoon or two of oil to the skillet and cook the remaining four patties.

In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the pesto in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm throughout. Grate the remaining mozzarella.

To serve, sprinkle each potato cake with grated mozzarella and place in a 250-degree oven until the cheese is melted. Spoon pesto on top of each cake and serve immediately.

The Definitive Garlic Mashed Potato

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon garlic paste (see below)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, or more to taste

Sea salt, preferably gray sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Garlic Paste:

1 pound whole garlic heads

1/2 cup pure olive oil

Gray sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Start with making roasted garlic made in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic. Cut off the top 1/3 of the heads to open the cloves. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, cut sides up, and saute for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Pop garlic cloves from their skins and place cloves in a blender, along with any olive oil left in the pan. Puree until smooth; you should have a paste-like consistency.

For the potatoes:

Cube the potatoes. Then put the potatoes in a large saucepan with salted cold water and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, add some more salt and then bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well, place potato cubes in a food mill, and grind to remove skins. Alternatively, smash the potatoes with a large fork or potato masher.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter stops foaming and turns a light brown. Add the garlic paste and cook quickly. Add the cream, season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and fold in potatoes with a wooded spoon or large whisk. Add the remaining butter by tablespoons, stirring after each addition. Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve.