French Fry Diary 215: Irish Potatoes

For St. Patrick's Day this year I figured I would talk about Irish Potatoes as someone contacted me about a week ago asking if I was going to. I said sure, even though I had no idea what an Irish potato was. I was delighted to find out however.

I was surprised that this candy treat was actually a Philadelphia tradition for the holiday. Coconut cream covered in cinnamon, this treat is simplicity itself, and really doesn't contain potato at all. Notably, it apparently isn't Irish either, although some folks will tell you it commemorates the Irish Potato Famine and shows up in stores around March, just in time for St. Pattie's Day.

While I have been told that Bayard's Chocolates makes the best Irish Potatoes, I managed to track these down at Wegman's. I only took a small bite as I have slight cinnamon allergy, but these are sweet and tasty, and I'm glad I know what these babies are now.