SELLMEYER FARM NEWSLETTER

SWEET POTATOES
The sweet potato is one of only a few cultivated vegetable crops that originated in the Americas. The wild sweet potato has been traced back to Peru as early as 8000 B.C. Early Native American tribes relied on both wild and, later cultivated varieties of sweet potatoes. Christopher Columbus introduced this versatile and nutritious storage crop to Europe.

Sweet potatoes are often erroneously referred to as "yams", a family of starchy tuberous roots originating in West Africa. The sweet potato is neither a potato or a yam but a rooted tuber and member of the morning glory family.

COOKING TIPS:
To bake: Scrub the skin and cut away any damaged areas. Place them whole or halved in a pan (or with a pan underneath to catch caramelizing drips) and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until the centers are soft when a knife is inserted. Hint: To bring out maximum sweetness, place sweet potatoes into a cold oven and then turn on heat, thus maximizing the time for the starches to be transformed to sugar before high temperature denatures the enzymes responsible for this process. Serve plain or with butter mashed into the soft inside, like any baked potato. Skins can be eaten if clean.

To steam: Place scrubbed & quartered sweet potato chunks in a steamer over boiling water and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Let them cool enough to remove peels. To serve round discs, cook sweet potatoes whole, then peel and slice into rounds. Serve plain or drizzled with a toppings: sweet (butter and a tad of maple syrup), tangy (Lime) or spicy (a red pepper or ginger sauce).

Try adding well-cooked sweet potato to your usual mashed potatoes; blend thoroughly.

STORAGE TIPS:
Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well ventilated place for up to several weeks. Do not store in plastic or refrigerate. Temperatures below 50 degrees will result in off-flavors, and excess moisture will encourage sweet potatoes to rot or sprout prematurely. Do not scrub clean or wash until just before preparation. Excess dirt may be removed without water prior to storing.

The above information came from my "From Asparagus to Zucchini" a guide to cooking farm fresh seasonal produce book!