Let's take a moment to thank potatoes. They're comforting, and they serve as the canvas for many of our favorite meals. They hold up our braises and complement our roasts, crisp up after a stint in the oven and soften with a kiss of cream.
Compared to more elegant offerings, the lowly potato seems wretchedly unsophisticated in the produce aisle. But hailing from deep within the earth, they're nurturing and reliable in a way other vegetables could never hope to be.
Mashed potatoes, potato gratin, sweet potato casserole -- these are the dishes that everybody expects on the Thanksgiving dinner table every November....