Part I: Collection & Identification

Latin Name: Apium graveolens
Common Name: Wild Celery, Celeriac

Physical Characteristics
Biennial growing to 0.6m by 0.25m.
It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies. The plant is self-fertile.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Cultivation details
Prefers a rich moist soil in sun or semi-shade, but with some shade in the summer. It is tolerant of saline soils. The plants are fairly hardy, though they can be damaged by hard frosts. The growing plant is a good companion for leeks, tomatoes, French beans and brassicas.

Propagation
Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame in spring. The seed can harbour certain diseases of celery, it is usually treated by seed companies before being sold but if you save your own seed you should make sure that only seed from healthy plants is used.
(source: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Apium+graveolens )

Latin Name: Solanum tuberosum L. 'Peruvian Purple'
Common Name (English): Purple Peruvian Potato
(source: http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Solanum.html )
Common Name (Quechua): acshu
(source: http://www.peruecologico.com.pe/tub_papa.htm )

Cultivation
Potatoes are generally grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row.

At harvest time, gardeners generally dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e. a spading fork, or a potato hook which is similar to the graip, except the tines are at a 90 degree angle to the handle as is the blade of a hoe. In larger plots, the plow can serve as the most expeditious implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large potato harvesters which scoop up the plant and the surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs employ different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system or "Flying Willard" to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage.

Correct potato husbandry is an arduous task in the best of circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. Potatoes are the most fruitful of the root crops, but much care and consideration is needed to keep them satisfied and fruitful.

It is important to harvest potatoes before heavy frosts begin, since field frost damages potatoes in the ground, and even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

















Part II: Preparation & Ingestion

First, I washed the potatoes and the celery root


Then I peeled the celery root. For the heck of it, I used a mussel-shell scraper.

The fully peeled celery root. It had a crisp smell, similar to the taste of celery stalks.

The inside of the root was a mottled white.


I used a food processor to grate the root.


Slicing open one of the potatoes -- I was surprised to find that the inside was an even brighter purple than the outside!


Potatoes, peeled and quartered

All chopped up, and into the frying pan. Cover with water and simmer for a while.


Once the potatoes were starting to get soft (and had unfortunately lost some of their color) I added the grated celery root, some cream, and some butter. Then I let it simmer a little more, and mashed it all together.


The final product. Topped with grated asiago cheese, and with a glass of port.


Mmm. Greyish-purple mush. Just like the protein-reprocessing factory used to make back on the asteroid mining facility...

Honestly though, it tasted really good. I probably could have let the potatoes cook a little longer to improve the texture, but the flavors were great.