Potatoes were first introduced to Europe from the Americas in the late 1500s and early 1600s. While the government was thrilled with this crop that could grow in years that other crops failed, and grow much more quickly than wheat crops, the general public was much less enthused. Some priests and other clergy members claimed that God had not meant for people to consume potatoes. Herbalists felt that the appearance of the potato plant suggested that it could cause leprosy. People began to believe that potatoes were poisonous, to the point where the plant was associated with worshipping the devil and practicing witchcraft.
It wasn’t until war struck Europe in the 1700s that people turned to potatoes for nourishment. It gave them an opportunity to learn that potatoes, of course, did not cause infection or bring about the practice of witchcraft. By the late 1700s, potatoes were being planted everywhere, and leaders like Frederick the Great in Prussia and Catherine the Great in Russia were encouraging the cultivation of potato plants. Catherine the Great even believed that potatoes could serve as an antidote to famishment.
When a scientist from France, Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, spent three years in a jail in Prussia, his entire diet consisted solely of potatoes. He went back to his country upon his release and wrote an essay about the merits of the potato, and he was able to convince other scientists of their value. To take it a step further, Parmentier organized a birthday banquet for the king, with potato dishes being served, and convinced Marie Antoinette, the king’s wife, to wear potato flowers in her hair. These drastic measures finally convinced the general public that potatoes were safe to eat and a valuable crop to grow.