Sweet Potato Month

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Happy Sweet Potato Month! You may enjoy these potatoes the most during the holidays, but they are in their peak season!

Sweet Potatoes have thin, smooth skins and can vary in color. They can be found in pale yellow, deep purple or a vivid orange. The dry variety is yellow fleshed, while the moist variety has an orange coloring. This vegetable has a short, blocky shape with tapered ends that have a flesh color in light yellow, pink or orange.

Two of the most popular varieties include the Jewel and the Yellow Jersey. The Jewel is the most traditional in the North American market, and is always soft and decidedly sweet. The sweetness will vary depending on how long the potato was cultivated and harvested. The Yellow Jersey is drier than the Jewel, and can be less sweet as well.

When selecting Sweet Potatoes, choose uniform sizes that are thick in the middle, taper at both ends, are firm and free of blemishes or decay. A decayed spot even if cut away may have already given the whole potato a bad flavor. Sweet Potatoes have thin skins and bruise easily so they should be handled with care.

Store Sweet Potatoes between 55°F and 65°F in a dark, dry, cool place, for up to one month, or use within one week if stored at room temperature. If refrigerated, their natural sugar will turn to starch and ruin the flavor. Before preparing Sweet Potatoes, be sure to wash and scrub them in cool water. They can be baked, broiled, steamed or microwaved, and are flavored well with garlic, sage, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon. This vegetable is also delicious in stews, soups, salads, or baked into pies, breads, custards and cakes.