after the potato explodes
Apply hot, wet bread.

I never thought about the poultice that Mother Wilder applied to Almanzo Wilder's eye and face after his skin was burned by the hot potato. But if you've ever put wet tobacco on a bee sting, then you've used a poultice, which is simply a "porridge" of moistened plant material or grain, applied directly to the skin. Technically called a cataplasm, it is similar to a fomentation (a cloth soaked in the wet material and wrung out, then applied) or a compress (a wet cloth placed under or over the material).

The most commonly used poultice at the time of Farmer Boy was one made out of bread and water, or out of bread and milk. Boiling water was poured over torn pieces of bread and allowed to soak. This water was pressed out and the hot water soak was repeated until the mixture became a doughy mess. It was beaten hard with a fork, then slathered on a piece of linen or cotton, and placed slobby-side-down on the area to be treated (a burn, bruise, or whatever). It was held in place by bandages, and in order to keep the insides from icking out all over the place, it could be covered with oiled silk. Mmmmm, sound yummy, I mean helpful.

Roasted potatoes, however, ARE yummy. I couldn't believe that I found a recipe for "ash roasted potatoes" on Martha Stewart's website HERE. Of course, this isn't done in an outdoor fire of dried potato-tops. You take fireplace ashes and roll wet potatoes in them, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake. You scoop out the pulp and combine it with other ingredients, then serve it in the ash-coated potato skins.

Martha doesn't say a thing about poking the potatoes so they won't explode.
- posted by pioneergirl at 10:30 PM