I know people sing the praises of the perfect Idaho® French fry or mashed potatoes as a comfort food, but have you ever heard of fully grown adults getting so worked up about a potato dish at a restaurant that it becomes a special occasion, just to experience it week after week and year after year? Surely ruminating on favorite potato dishes is good for the creative soul.

That’s a good question and just recently I found that one of the food editors I have worked with over the years has just the kind of magical experience with friends when they meet at a favorite place and enjoy an order or three of The Maureen. The dish is described on the menu as hash browns with broccoli, green peppers, onions and tomatoes for $5.75 or add cheese for only $6.20. The Executive Food Editor is Gail Bellamy of Restaurant Hospitality magazine. And while a published author of historical locations and interesting people in the Cleveland area, she’s also an accomplished poet and a past Poet Laureate of Cleveland Heights. She has had ample opportunity over the years of writing about the newest and latest restaurant trends, but finds herself coming back to a favorite Cleveland Heights Ohio location called Tommy’s Restaurant.

Personally, I think I’d head over to the restaurant to experience one of their lunch entrees. The Escarole Potato Pies made with wheat dough stuffed with escarole, potatoes and onions and available with Muenster cheese or cheese and broccoli sounds like lunch to me! Anyone willing to share your “Potato Poetry”? Or, if you have a picture of these potato dishes, please send them on to me at dodiorne@potato.idaho.gov.