Irregular Produce: Holiday Edition
With the holidays squarely on our plates, it’s time to dish on produce’s close connection with the holidays. And where better to start than with toys?
He was the first toy to be advertised on the boob tube—and also the first to feature a real potato. While he’s all plastic now (and seems to carry a set of disguises and body parts in his, ahem, trunk) Mr. Potato Head was initially sold from 1952 to 1963 as a set of body parts, and children had to locally source their own potato—hopefully one not too squishy or featuring too many eyes!
Potato Head also made it to the big screen, with appearances in the Toy Story movie series alongside his long-time wife, Mrs. Potato Head.
Potatoes are also featured in another holiday classic—latkes. Around Hanukkah, many families dish up these potato pancakes—shredded potatoes, onion, eggs and breadcrumbs or matzo. Who’s hungry? I yam!
And what are the holidays without a little politics over dinner? As we watch Tom Vilsack resume a role as USDA Secretary, we have to wonder–will The Onion resume its satirical obsession with Vilsack and corn?
The brief history—in 2016 the scuttlebutt was Hillary Clinton eyed Vilsack for a veep running mate. When Clinton chose Tim Kaine, The Onion lobbed back with this story—Depressed, Butter-Covered Tom Vilsack Enters Sixth Day Of Corn Bender After Losing VP Spot. This marked the first in a series of corny stories, and even this nod to cabbage: Secretary Of Agriculture Attends Diplomatic Meeting With Foreign Cabbage.
Touche, The Onion, touche. With 2020 nearly in the rear-view mirror, we could all use a good laugh.
