From How to Cook a Wolf, by MFK Fisher, a food writer from back in the day, comes a poem called How to Pray For Peace.

Pray for peace and grace and spiritual food

For wisdom and guidance, for all these are good

But don't forget the potatoes….

Prayer and Potatoes, J.T. Pettee

Fisher says that in times of war, potatoes are the last thing, the last vegetation left standing. In western MA, spuds are so good this time of year, so cheap and so plentiful. Get a bag of local potatoes at Atkins, Bashista or one of the co-ops for pennies. A series of recipies for potatoes will follow until we come out of the economic crisis or until I run out of recipes, which ever comes first.