How potatoes were introduced to Greece.

[indyartist]

After 400 years of Islamic Turkish occupation,Greeks revolted and in 1821 liberated a portion of the Greek empire which eventually became what we now know of as Greece. In 1828, when the first true national government was formed, it was under the direction of Ioannis Kapodistrias, who as “Governor of Greece” was head of the state and the government.
The way Kapodistrias introduced the cultivation of the potato remains famously anecdotal today. Having ordered a shipment of potatoes, at first he ordered that they be offered to anyone interested. However the potatoes were met with indifference by the population and the whole scheme seemed to be failing. Therefore Kapodistrias, knowing of the contemporary Greek attitudes, ordered that the whole shipment of potatoes be unloaded in public display on the docks of Nafplion, and placed severe-looking guards guarding it. Soon, rumors circulated that for the potatoes to be so well guarded they had to be of great importance. People would gather to look at the so-important potatoes and soon some tried to steal them. The guards had been ordered in advance to turn a blind eye to such behavior, and soon the potatoes had all been “stolen” and Kapodistrias’ plan to introduce them to Greece had succeeded.
Greek cuisine is filled with potato recipes with perhaps the most common cooking method being drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with oregano and lemon juice then open roasted.
I would like to know what varieties of potatoes might have been introduced and also find if they are still extant, that I may grow them. I have searched a little bit and this link shows some varieties that seem to be cultivated in Greece.
www.efthymiadis.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-US&page=243&categ=82
Here is a link to the story of the first Greek governor and his attempts to introduce potatoes to Greeks.
www.reveal-greece.com/2010/03/ioannis-kapodistrias/

[matthew]

Nice story, thanks for sharing. Makes me want some potatoes roasted with olive oil and oregano!

[marches]

Frederick the great did the same in Prussia and fuelled a militaristic, expansionist state on it and perhaps the most impressive army of the time.
Probably why Britain was keen for them to fight in the land campaigns against France.

[Anonymous]

Is this actually a story from Greek times or a story created by more contemporary authors, as there were most likely no potatoes in ancient Greece as they originated in the Americas and there was no contact between the Americas and ancient Greece

[matthew]

No, it is not a story from ancient Greek history. The OP clearly states this happened in the 1820's.

[djiggins13]

This anecdote sounds oddly familiar to how potatoes were introduced to France. They were planted outside the city (I believe it was Paris, but very well could have been Leon) in a fancy garden style display by some forward thinking nobleman because he either saw a famine coming; or was trying to mitigate starvation cheaply and without the other noble folk getting up in arms about wasting resources on sleepers, sinners, and sickly... Eventually, the poor and starving, all uprooted the vegetables after word “got out” that the tubers were edible.