All-Potato Feast

All-Potato Feast

　　Northeastern Yunnan has long been a fertile land shaped by history. The magical nature here creates one wonder after another. So much so that even the beloved food enjoyed by everyone is, in this region, a gift bestowed by nature.

　　The All-Potato Feast of Zhaotong is indeed a remarkable phenomenon, bringing generations of well-being and heartfelt emotion. Potatoes are grown in many parts of Yunnan, but those from Zhaotong are the most renowned.

　　According to Wu Qijun’s *Plant Names and Their Realities Illustrated* from the Qing Dynasty, we can deduce that potatoes had already been introduced and cultivated in Yunnan before 1848. In Yunnan, there's a common saying: “Eat potatoes and grow handsome/beautiful” (where “handsome/beautiful” refers to being attractive or charming). As the most famous place for potatoes in the province, Zhaotong offers a wide variety of cooking methods and easy recipes. Common potato dishes include ash-blown dim sum, fried potato slices, pan-fried potato pancakes, dried roasted potato shreds, stir-fried potato shreds, braised potatoes, grandma-style potatoes, cold tossed potatoes, pickled vegetable and potato soup, potato rice, and potato balls...

　　In Zhaotong, it's said that “you can’t make a dish without potatoes.” Rich in vitamins, potatoes have been praised as the “underground apple.” In the north, they’re also called “mountain yams,” but in some areas, the tubers are either spicy or too tender—perhaps due to the potato variety or soil conditions. Because of this, those mountain yams are often ground into starch or simply sold off for a bit of spare cash. But Zhaotong locals hold a special fondness for them, even treating them as a staple food. Out in the countryside, warm-hearted hosts always serve potatoes as the first welcome dish, and when you see those steaming, plump white boiled potatoes along with their aromatic and tasty dipping sauce, you just can’t help but dig in. On urban dining tables, shredded potatoes are definitely a must-have dish. Locals often say the phrase: “Eat potatoes and grow handsome/beautiful,” highlighting both their deliciousness and fame.

　　Zhaotong people’s love for potatoes may be tied to the tough times of the past. During the nationwide years of hunger, potatoes were a blessing for the people of Zhaotong, saving countless lives from starvation. For the humble and hardworking folks of Zhaotong, potatoes are a source of pride. Every summer, amidst the rolling waves of heat in the fields, stretches of emerald green appear. Faced with such a scene, you might feel as if you’ve entered another world. “These are potato seedlings—you probably don’t get to see such a sight in the city!” “This year’s rainfall hasn’t been great, so we rely on these potatoes to fill our bellies. Even though not a single drop of rain fell since early spring, we can still harvest over 1,000 pounds per acre. They’re the life-saving tubers of the common folk!” Nearby elderly farmers can hardly contain their pride as they speak, and the wrinkles on their faces seem to smooth out for a moment, as if they can already see the thriving potatoes growing beneath the soil.

　　Today, potatoes have become one of the diverse and distinctive delights on dining tables.