WINNER OF THE GOLD AWARD FOR BEST BOOK ON COOKERY AND WINE AT GOURMET VOICE 2004

The potato has become so familiar to everyone today - it is the uncontested star on the menu of chefs both great and small - that we tend to forget its history. The potato has survived wars, famines, political intrigue and is certainly the modern-day success story of the food industry.

With its origins in the Andes, the potato was introduced to 16th century Europe by the Spanish and this beautifully illustrated book tell the fascinating story of this nutritious and delicious vegetable before presenting a portrait of 180 different types; from British Queen, first grown in Scotland, to la Ratte, made famous by Joël Robuchon.

Then fifty-three potato-loving chefs enable the reader to discover or rediscover the variety of ways the world's most popular tuber can be enjoyed. Feran Adrià's recipe in his inimitable original style is for Potato Puree with Vanilla Sugar ; Heston Blumenthal reveals the secret of his perfect Chunky Chips; Thomas Keller presents a Spring Vegetable Salad; Jean-Georges Vongerichten - or Vong to his followers - offers a slowly cooked sable fish, potato noodles with crème fraïche, vodka and caviar and Charlie Trotter amazes with his Russian banana fingerling, New York Red Bliss and Désirée potatoes, a kumomoto oyster emulsion and Inranian Osetra caviar.

LYNDSAY MIKANOWSKI is a sociologist and ethnologist by training but has made her career in landscape gardening. PATRICK MIKANOWSKI has been Art Director with an advertising company for 20 years. They are both passionate about food. GRANT SYMON, born in Scotland, has been a photographer for over 25 years.