Meet the Irish potato that’s actually candy
In most places, “Irish potatoes” means exactly what you think: starchy, dirt-covered tubers. In Philadelphia, it means something else entirely — a sweet, sugary confection that looks like a tiny potato but tastes like a coconut-cream dream. If you grew up around Philly, you probably know them well. If you didn’t, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them — a cultural divide I didn’t fully understand until I left home. For me, Irish potatoes were a sure sign that spring — and St. Patrick’s Day — had arrived. As a kid wandering the grocery store aisles with my mom, spotting the shiny green foil on the white O’Ryan’s boxes felt almost as exciting as presents from Santa on Christmas morning. The candies themselves looked like tiny, dusty potatoes: irregular little lumps of sweet cream with bits of coconut rolled in cinnamon, dusty and warm-smelling, tucked into a plastic tray. Before I knew I could make a career out of food, I was fascinated by taste, texture and surprise. I loved when a dish …
