Ta en potet!
Ta gjerne fire, ta åtte, ta alle!
Ta en potet!
Stek den, og kok den, og spis gjerne skallet, men
Ta en potet!

Take a potato!
Take four, even eight, take them all!
Take a potato!
Fry it, and boil it, and eat it with peel on, but
Take a potato!

A blast from the past, at least for me, Norwegian child of the 80s. This song was featured in the national broadcasting's children's television, a service which was supposed to entertain and educate children. And, occasionally, indoctrinate them about things that were good for them. Such as potatoes.

This song sums up the whole of Norwegian cuisine. Or rather, half of it. Herring and potato used to be the staple food of poor people along the coast, which is not altogether bad for health or palate, to tell the truth, although it must have been a bit boring. Richer people had all kinds of meat and fish to fill their bigger bellies, but one thing showed up on their plate as well every day: The potato.

The potato followed the Norwegian people through the bad times to the good ones, where everybody suddenly became rich from the black gold that was found in the sea. And although new times brought new food - pizza, taco, and Chinese food becoming new "national dishes" - the potato is still a vital part of dinner for most Norwegian families.

As a kid, I used to hate the incessant nagging of the song. Who on earth would want to eat eight potatoes? With their peel on, even? This may have had something to do with my parents' insistence that I eat potatoes, while I didn't particularly care for such a treat.

Later on I have grown to learn what fun you can have with potatoes. In addition to frying and boiling, there's baking, deep frying, scalloping, mashing, and even a dumpling made from potato can be quite tasty if done right.

I have even found myself humming whilst peeling this national veggie of ours: "Ta en potet... ta gjerne fire, ta åtte, men... ta en potet!"

Ta en potet was performed by Eli Rygg and Jarl Goli, people who will be unknown to most of you, I'm sure

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