Did You Know. . .

that potatoes first became popular when Marie Antoinette paraded in France wearing a crown of potato blossoms?

that in 1770 a crop failure gave a war its name - "The Potato War" when a war between Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa forced soldiers to steal the enemy's potatoes as there was not much more food to eat?  When the potatoes were finished, so was the war.

that up until the late 18th century, the French believed that potatoes caused leprosy?

that Antoine-Auguste Parmentier was a 18th century agronomist who convinced the common French people to accept the potato as a safe food? He used reverse psychology by posting guards around potato fields during the day to prevent people from stealing them. He left them unguarded at night. So, every night, the thieves would sneak into the fields and leave with sacks of these precious potatoes! 

Sources:  http://www.thehotpotato.com/english/potato_facts.htm and http://www.foodreference.com/html/fpotatoes.html