Cassell's dictionary of cookery

The culture of the potato in the rest of Europe appears to have attained to no great extent until during the last century. It was introduced from England into the Netherlands, and thence into Germany ; but it was still unknown to the agriculturists of Saxony in 1740, subsequent to which period its culture increased so rapidly, that in thirty years after the above date, a small detachment of the French army, while in that country, having its supplies wholly' cut off, the soldiers subsisted for eight or ten days entirely on potatoes obtained from the fields; nor did they consider this a hardship. The potato was introduced into Sweden in 1720, but the exertions of Linnaeus in favour of its culture were little regarded, and it did not come into general cultivation until 1764, when a royal edict was published for the encouragement of this branch of husbandry. In Switzerland the value of the root was discovered about the same period at which it was introduced into Sweden ; and in a few years the inhabitants not only grew potatoes among their mountains in abundance, but had likewise learned the art of drying them, grinding them into flour, and making them into bread. A traveller in 1730 relates that the miller of Untersen had scarcely anything to grind but potatoes ; and in 1734 a peasant was so well aware of the profit arising from this culture, that he bought a small field situated near the Swiss mountains, and in only two years after paid the purchase-money by the produce of his potato-crops. In 1846 and 1847 terrible famine resulted in Ireland and elsewhere through the failure of the potato-crop. The potato disease was first noticed in Germany, and assumed a serious character at Liege in 1842. Two years later it invaded Canada, and at once proved very destructive there. In 1845 it was observed in the British Isles, and during that year its ravages were very considerable. They reached their height in 1846, when the Irish famine was the consequence. Since 1847 the potato-disease has gradually diminished, but it still breaks out in particular localities. Its cause and origin have never been satisfactorily explained. Potato Klosse (a Gei-man dish). — Scoop the floury part from five or six baked potatoes, until six ounces of potato flour have been obtained. Mix with this two ounces of butter beaten to a cream, a little salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. Beat the mixture thoroughly, and form it into small balls. Drop these in boiling salt and water, and be careful to do this with a metal spoon, and to dip it into boiling water each time it is used. Serve the klosse with soup. Or, take the same weight of potato flour. Beat it until smooth with two ounces of butter which has been beaten to a cream, and add two ounces of finely-grated bread-crumbs, one ounce of grated parmesan, a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, the yolks of two and the white of one egg. Mould the klosse, and boil them as above. Serve on a hot dish, with fried bread-crumbs sprinkled over them. Time to boil the klosse, ten minutes. Probable cost, 6d. or 8d. for this quantity. Sufiicient for five or six persons.