The dark and dreary interior of Vincent van Gogh‘s The Potato Eaters (1885) is a stark juxtaposition to the colour and the flavor of the sweet potato mash. With Thanksgiving being such an important meal in the North American calendar, I felt it was appropriate to include a painting of a familial supper in this series. The subjects of the painting are peasants and although their entire meal consists of a platter of potatoes, there is no unhappiness apparent on their faces. This is Thanksgiving – being thankful for what one has and celebrating the food on the table. I could not think of a better way to celebrate the simple potato than to spike it with a bit of my beloved chipotle and albeit the food visually contrasts the art, the message is still there.

Vincent van Gogh, The Potato Eaters (1885), oil on canvas, 82 x 114 cm, Van Gogh Museum

The Potato Eaters (1885) was one of Van Gogh’s first major paintings. The peasants are coarse and the colours are muted to produce what van Gogh considered to be a natural work of art, although the exaggerated facial features instead create a grotesque caricature. In a letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh writes:

“You see, I really have wanted to make it so that people get the idea that these folk, who are eating their potatoes by the light of their little lamp, have tilled the earth themselves with these hands they are putting in the dish, and so it speaks of manual labour and — that they have thus honestly earned their food.”

– Vincent van Gogh, Letter 497: To Theo van Gogh. Nuenen, Thursday, 30 April 1885.

Van Gogh submitted The Potato Eaters to the Salon in Paris where it was rejected. It was his first ambitious work and is now considered his first masterpiece which was the artist’s intention during it’s conception and creation.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Mash with Fresh Lime

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 cm pieces
1 TB olive oil
2 TB butter
1/3 c sour cream
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
lime slices & sour cream to serve

Place the cubed sweet potato on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your hands before sliding into a 350°F/180°C oven for about 40 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Once roasted, puree the potatoes with a blender and add the butter, sour cream, and salt. Mix into well combined. Stir in the chopped chipotle and serve with a glob of sour cream and a squeeze of fresh lime.