Very
rarely such a commonly known name has proffered such a lot of benefit
and created so much approval and consensus. The humble potato is
instantly 'upgraded' when people began to call it Parmentier; the origin
of which goes back to the 18th century, through the ingenious marketing
of an individual living in that period of convulsion in France.
Antoine Augustin Parmentier was a chemist in the military, a specialist in agronomy and an enthusiastic inventor. Observing the precarious situation of alimentation in the neighbouring countries, especially after a period of drought and hunger, he studied hard and promoted the massive cultivation, and consumption, of the potato. At that time, this humble root was considered mainly animal feed, and for those in extreme poverty and neediness to use it as food, in pure desperation.
He came up with a real ingenious strategy: planted immense fields and fields of potatoes all round Paris. He then ostentatiously and ceremoniously put soldiers during the day to safeguard them, but by night stealthily 'propitiating' regular 'robberies' of the potatoes. Gradually, the hungry court of the Luis XVI started seizing this ready and plentiful food too, even on the royal table of Versalles later included this in their more sumptuous menus.
His name is thus always associated with recipes where potatoes are present. Not as simple puree as it is now, but mixing with meat like in a stew, as part of the fillings in a pie, as a topping, or accompanying meat, poultry or fish. Over the century countless ways have been developed to expand it's use, it being so versatile and never intrusive.
This makes it quite strange to see that the puree of potato, simply with some butter added, has monopolized the honour of the denomination 'Parmentier' on the modern day gourmet menu cards. In Spain, it is olive oil, virgin olive oil preferably, not butter, which is deem appropriate with any food considered to be superior.
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