Officials hope that paying more attention to spuds could help some of the poorest Peruvians.

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But spuds produce two kinds of starch: amylopectin, which papermakers like, and amylose, which they dislike.

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And it's the same show we did when we first started and we were just young little spuds.

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With a slogan that reads "burgers on the side, " you know this is a place serious about its spuds.

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Domestic consumption of spuds is about 90 kilos (200lb) per head a year, according to Ismael Benavides, the agriculture minister.

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Others, of course, will continue to be spuds, and any robust solution has to work for that wide a range of users.

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But this Manhattan hipster favorite goes a step beyond others to assure the crunchiness of its spuds: introducing The Breslin's thrice-cooked chips.

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Groaningly titled SPUDS (Synthetic Personnel Using Dielectric Substitution), the tubers apparently replicate how airborne signals are bounced and absorbed by real-life passengers, but without the need for Boeing to offer complimentary snacks or tiny drinks during testing.

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Located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, "The Dirty O" has a reputation for decadent spuds: hand-cut and peeled Idaho potatoes, twice fried in peanut oil, and served golden and crunchy on a cafeteria tray.

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Meanwhile, up in Portland, Clear Creek bottles eaux-de-vie that showcase the essence of Oregon pears, Vermont Gold distills vodka from maple sap and Cold River, a family farm in the heart of Maine's potato country, produces vodka from its spuds.

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