BOISE, IDAHO, September 2, 2004 – Everyone needs a little inspiration now and then when it comes to menu planning. But where do you start? Classics like America's favorite potato – the Idaho potato, are ideal for experimenting because it can be prepared in an endless number of ways to provide limitless menu possibilities.
For chefs who like to try new recipes to keep their menus creative and relevant, www.idahopotato.com is the place. All you have to do is log onto the site, click on the recipe catalog button and your recipe rolodex will never be the same.
"The Idaho Potato has been, and continues to be, a mainstay food in restaurants and cafeterias across the United States," said Don Odiorne, Vice President of Foodservice for the Idaho Potato Commission. "One reason to account for this is its incredible versatility, lending itself to an astonishing array of recipes and cuisine styles. The IPC works hard to capture as many of these recipes as possible to offer them as a value-added service for our customers."
So now that you know this tool is available, how do you begin to use it? Let's say it's zucchini season and you have ordered more than you know what to do with. Simply type "zucchini" into the keyword search engine on the recipe page and you will be directed to a variety of recipes that range from Mini Idaho Potato Zucchini Pancakes to Grilled Idaho Potato Ratatouille Salad or even Mediterranean Seafood Casserole. You can also click on one of the extensive recipe categories posted along the site's left margin. Options range from appetizers and smalls plates to side dishes, instant/dehydrated to casseroles and even desserts. The great tasting Idaho potato recipes (they've all been tested!) are available in a variety of cooking methods: conventional, convection and microwave. (Note to the "uninitiated": Thanks to the Idaho Potato's consistent 21 percent solids content, it cooks evenly – regardless of how it is prepared.)
You never know what you'll find on the recipe page at www.idahopotato.com. There is even a "new" category of recipes that you can check out when you visit. Whatever your pleasure (not to mention your clientele's), there is something for you. The IPC suggests you bookmark the recipe page and check back periodically for more ideas on how to use one of the kitchen's mainstays.
The folks at the Idaho Potato Commission have assembled over 200 recipes from home, restaurant and institutional chefs that will pique your fancy and your customers' appetites. If, at the very least, you learn one new way to utilize the incredibly versatile, delicious and nutritious Idaho Potato, then the IPC views this service as a success.
Although Idaho is famous worldwide for its premium potatoes, some consumers don't realize that only potatoes grown in the Gem State can wear the "Grown In Idaho" seal. Both Idaho® Potatoes and the "Grown in Idaho®" seal are federally registered Certification Marks that belong to the IPC. These Marks ensure that consumers are purchasing potatoes that have been grown in the state of Idaho.
The IPC includes growers, shippers and processors.
