Unbeknownst to this blogger, there was a real potato theme going on in last week's post. Mr. Potato Head...I painted the walls with a color called "potato soup"...I served Bob,Potato Shitake Mushroom Gratin for his birthday. I didn't even realize it at the time, but later, this revelation gave me cause to pause and ponder the pleasing potato.

Did you know that archaeologists have found potato remains in Peru that dated back to 500 B.C.? Apparently the Incas both ate and worshiped them. And did you know that, as potatoes made their way to other parts of the world, they were oftentimes not well-received? In 1600, the French claimed that the potato "caused, not only leprosy, but also syphilis, narcosis, scrofula, early death, sterility, and rampant sexuality."

Whoa. I never dreamed I would "dig up" anything this spicy while researching the spud.

The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche said, "A diet that consists predominantly of rice leads to the use of opium, just as a diet that consists predominantly of potatoes leads to the use of liquor." Hmmmmm

Bob's Grandpa Harvey insisted on having potatoes every evening. Legend has it that he once got up from the supper table, vowing not to return until a potato, in some form, appeared.

Yes, we love our potatoes. So much so, that I wrote them this little poem:

Ode to the Potato

Sing a song of praise for you, oh fair potato

As a satisfying side dish, you really are first rate-o.

Red, Idaho, Yukon Gold,

Fried, scalloped, baked, with flavor bold.

Served with ketchup, cheese, and butter,

Your taste thrills us like no utter.

We love you with burgers; we love you in soup

You're the shining star of your food group.

And the only time we will forsake

Is when we find the mashed potatoes FAKE!

Sing a song of praise to you, oh fair potato

It fills my heart with rapture to see you on my plate-o.

I stayed up very late Saturday night working on this birthday cake. Hope the birthday baby liked it.

Recipe of the Week: You remember that I promised you the recipe for the potato dish last week. I have to tell you that these potatoes got better with time and when I served the last of them on Wednesday night, with Parmesan chicken breasts, well, we were elbowing each other to lick the bottom of the baking dish. Even Rob likes them!

Potato Shitake Mushroom Gratin

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 cups chicken broth

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for last 15 minutes

2 cups half and half

2 cups whipping cream (can use fat-free- I, of course, would never do that)

1 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Melt butter, add mushrooms and saute until liquid evaporates about 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, saute 1 minute. Add chicken broth and simmer until liquid evaporates, stir often, about 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or spray a 9 X 13 inch backing dish, Arrange half of the potatoes in dish, top with half of cheese and half of mushroom mixture. Repeat. Whisk the half and half and whipping cream. Pour over potato mixture. Cover loosely with foil and place on a cookie sheet, to catch overrun. Bake about an hour and a half. Uncover, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake another 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

"I think a new different kind of bowling should be 'carpet bowling.' It's just like regular bowling, only the lanes are carpet instead of wood. I don't know why we should do this, but my God, we've got to try something!"

Jack Handey