Groundnut

The Pennsylfaanisch term Grundnuss is variously applied to two distinct edible plants: the peanut (Latin, Arachis hypogaea) and the bog potato (Latin, Apios tuberosa). In Pennsylvania Dutch colonial records and even down to the 1860s, the peanut is referred to as Grundniss because of its similarity (in shape and size) to the pearshaped tubers of the common groundnut or bog potato, Apios tuberosa is a pealike vine that produces a tuber once widely used in Pennsylvania Dutch cookery both raw and in any recipe where true potatoes were called for. It is still considered the very best among our native wild foods, and in terms of flavor it is far superior to the Peruvian potato.