sweet potato questions

[Ridgerunner]

Yams and Sweet Potatoes are totally different things. The Yam is a tropical plant and the Sweet Potato is not, although it likes a warm climate. A lot of people mistakenly call Sweet Potatoes "Yams". There is even a variety of Sweet Potato called "White Yams". It seems they are trying to confuse the issue.

I don't know what you got at Whole Foods. I've heard that you can get them here in the US but I don't remember ever seeing one.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Yams and Sweet Potato are totally different things. The Yam is a tropical plant and the Sweet Potato is not, although it likes a warm climate. A lot of people mistakenly call Sweet Potatoes "Yams". There is even a variety of Sweet Potato called "White Yams". It seems they are trying to confuse the issue.

I don't know what you got at Whole Foods. I've heard that you can get them here in the US but I don't remember ever seeing one.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm

Whole Foods calls it a Garnet yam. I have never eaten a sweet potato that I know of. Well there is sweet potato pie when I can get it. I keep saying I am going to make Sweet Potato Pie and I never do. Heck I could eat a whole one by myself.

As it is, I eat yams for breakfast. I bake them and slop lots of real butter on them.

http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/11/potatoes-and-yams/
The second photograph shows the ones that I usually buy.

 

[wifezilla]

"yam = moist-fleshed sweet potato Notes: Americans use the word "yam" to refer to a sweet, moist, orange-fleshed variety of sweet potato. To everyone else in the world, a yam is what Americans call a tropical yam, a firm tuber with white flesh. Varieties of American "yams" (sweet potatoes) include the garnet yam (pictured at left) and the jewel yam. Substitutes: sweet potatoes (drier, less sweet, and often more expensive)" http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/11/potatoes-and-yams/

"It turns out that sweet potatoes and yams that we find here in the States are really all sweet potatoes. What we think of as yams are called this by mistake. It started long ago when the slaves were brought over and identified sweet potatoes with the nyami from Africa. The name stuck and weve been eating a misnomer ever since. To further the complication, neither of them are really potatoes at all! They are both tubers, although not even related to each other. In fact, the sweet potato is a cousin of the morning glory flower. There are about 200 varieties of true yams, of which none grow in the States. " http://zoebakes.com/?p=1289

Further on in the last article it shows the difference between real yams and sweet potatoes. Looks like a garnet yam is actually a sweet potato. I got 2 last night at Vitamin Cottage. WAY cheaper than buying slips. If I end up buying them, it looks like I will get some from Sandhill.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

"yam = moist-fleshed sweet potato Notes: Americans use the word "yam" to refer to a sweet, moist, orange-fleshed variety of sweet potato. To everyone else in the world, a yam is what Americans call a tropical yam, a firm tuber with white flesh. Varieties of American "yams" (sweet potatoes) include the garnet yam (pictured at left) and the jewel yam. Substitutes: sweet potatoes (drier, less sweet, and often more expensive)" http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/11/potatoes-and-yams/

"It turns out that sweet potatoes and yams that we find here in the States are really all sweet potatoes. What we think of as yams are called this by mistake. It started long ago when the slaves were brought over and identified sweet potatoes with the nyami from Africa. The name stuck and weve been eating a misnomer ever since. To further the complication, neither of them are really potatoes at all! They are both tubers, although not even related to each other. In fact, the sweet potato is a cousin of the morning glory flower. There are about 200 varieties of true yams, of which none grow in the States. " http://zoebakes.com/?p=1289

Further on in the last article it shows the difference between real yams and sweet potatoes. Looks like a garnet yam is actually a sweet potato. I got 2 last night at Vitamin Cottage. WAY cheaper than buying slips. If I end up buying them, it looks like I will get some from Sandhill.

OMG! Does this mean I have to stop eating my "yam" for breakfast?

 

[wifezilla]

I don't care what you call them as long as they are baked and come with a side of real butter

 

[Ariel301]

Agreed, wifezilla! They also make awesome french fries. I call them all sweet potatoes, I was always told that they were yams if you cooked them mashed up with butter, cinnamon, and marshmallows, and sweet potatoes otherwise...doesn't really make sense but I don't care what it's called as long as it tastes good.

I've never planted them outside, but have sprouted plenty as houseplants in a jar of water, and the storebought ones have always done well. This year we're going to try them in the garden, but we don't have a store that sells them organic, so it will just be regular grocery store ones.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

has anyone bought them from Johnny's Seeds before? if you have did you have good luck with them? http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-279-sweet-potatoes.aspx

btw, thanks for all the useful info on these! i'm really thinking of eventually trying them in the garden but not sure if i'll be able to do them this year. :/

 

[Ridgerunner]

I always use Steele as I said in my earlier post. I see that Johnny's ship in late March or Early April. You might check with your county extension agent, in the phone book under county government, to confirm the right time to plant them. Seems like that might be a little early for your area to me. This map which shows when Steele ships them to different parts of the country may be of interest.

http://www.sweetpotatoplant.com/ship.html

 

[ducks4you]

Ladyhawke1 wrote:
I have never eaten a sweet potato that I know of. Well there is sweet potato pie when I can get it. I keep saying I am going to make Sweet Potato Pie and I never do. Heck I could eat a whole one by myself.

YUM!!!!!!! Me, too!!!! :rose

 

[Ladyhawke1]

And...another thing.....I cannot tell which end is up. I know this is a usual state of mind for me....but in yams or sweet potatoes that I get at the store...it is still a mystery to me.

Don't laugh! I just turned my yam over in its little water container...just in case. Just in case it is upside down.