The Houlton Chapter of TOPS met July 7 at the Aldergate Building, Kelleran St. There were nine TOPS members and four KOPS present. The Loser of the Week was Pam Richardson and the Runner Up was Barbara Troy.
The Skinny Dish was won by Denise Clark and the 50/50 was won by Diane Folsom. Nominations were made for the TOPS offices and elections will be held next week, July 14.
The program, The Great Potato Debate which potatoes are better Maine’s or Idaho’s?” was presented by Barbara Grant. Two debaters “hashed” over the differences. Elaine from Idaho bragged that schools had to close for two weeks for harvest, Molly from Maine said that until recently, our schools closed for three weeks.
That Maine potatoes are more tame than those raised in the Wild West, and Maine potatoes have a thicker skin because of our harsh winters. Maine has grown potatoes longer than any other state. It was a very colorful conversation, with red, white and blue varieties mentioned.
No agreement was reached, but the information was informative and very entertaining. The thing that caught my attention was: don’t use instant potatoes, because they are made with inferior potatoes mixed with sodium,citric acid and BHA which preserves the color and the flavor. Instant can also include oils, corn syrup and other mystery ingredients. The Lesson? Read the labels, so you can choose healthy sometimes over fast or easy.
Thank you Barbara for the entertaining as well as informative program. Barbara brought potatoes for us to take home in a potato basket she had made herself at a basket weaving class. Good Job!
Come join our group. You never know what you will learn, but always healthy choices. See you next week? Call Pam Richardson at 207-538-8760 for directions or more information.
