On one of my trips this summer to Amawalk Farm I noticed they had a potato patch growing.
Sweet potatoes to be exact. It was the first time they were trying them and at the time, they were not exactly sure what they would be getting in the Fall. Never fear ... the yield was magnificent. Beautiful and delicious sweet potatoes! I went back in October and bought 20 pounds!
So what exactly are they, and how are they different from yams? The names seem to be used interchangeably by many people and they kind of look similar, right? Well, not really. First, they hail from different parts of the world: yams from Africa and Asia, and sweets from South America. Yams are dry and starchier in texture, where sweets are, well sweeter and creamier. So there is really no need to add sugar, or even marshmallows, which I think mask their beautiful flavor in the end. Sweets are loaded with great nutrients: complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene, Vitamins A, B6, C, Iron, Calcium ... wow!
I've been literally planning this post for months, truth be told. Ever since I saw the patch of leaves growing at Amawalk, I knew I wanted to create something with this great veggie. This week I have four different ways to use your sweet potatoes. A couple are inspired by recipes I came across in my research and a couple from experimenting!
First up is Sweet Potato Hash. One of Larry's favorite dishes. There once was a little restaurant in Port Chester named the Crossroads Cafe, who made his favorite rendition of this dish. They closed several years ago and ever since I've been trying to replicate it. He thinks this one came very close!
To continue reading my post about sweet potatoes and seeing my creative recipes to use them click here!
