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The Ark of Taste: The Bamberger Hörnchen

In Germany, the potato is a king of foods. In the region of Franconia, a small, knobbly, horn-shaped potato, the Bamberger Hörnchen, is a precious ingredient. Dan Saladino speaks to Veronica Veneziano who explains that the nutty potato is intrinsically connected to the middle South, and is reserved for special occasions. A rich selection of the world’s four thousand potato varieties have been imported into Europe since the 1530s but after World War Two, priorities of supply and yield have threatened smaller, unusual varieties that are harder to harvest, like the Hörnchen. But the variety has survived because of the region’s grow-your-own culture and now commercial growers have pledged to grow the Hörnchen on a bigger scale, ensuring its future for years to come.

Photo credit: Stefan Abtmeyer

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4 minutes