THE HUMBLE SWEET POTATO FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By ACF Chef Jennifer Hill Booker

When you talk about holiday menus in the South, and Thanksgiving in particular, you have to talk about the sides. In my opinion, the sides are the star of the show. Yes, there is usually a big, beautifully roasted turkey, chicken or goose for the traditionalists among us — and perhaps a ham, roast or turducken for those more adventurous. But what’s turkey without cornbread dressing or bread stuffing and gravy and cranberry sauce? Since there are so many “must haves” on a Southern Thanksgiving dinner table, it’s hard to pick just one. I’ve decided to focus on the ingredient I feel to be the most versatile and the humblest of them all: the sweet potato. Let’s explore what a sweet potato is, where it came from and what it has to offer.

Sweet potatoes are native to South America. Although Native Americans were growing sweet potatoes when Christopher Columbus came to America in 1492, these veggies grew in Peru as early as 750 B.C. and were introduced to Africa in the 1600s via Portuguese trade routes. Enslaved Africans in the Americas began calling the indigenous sweet potato "yam" because it was very similar in size and taste to the food staple they knew in West Africa. Throughout the American South, the words “yam” and “sweet potato” are often used interchangeably in conversation, but in cooking, and even at the supermarket, they really are two different vegetables. Both are root vegetables, but they belong to two different plant families. The yam is related to the lily, while a sweet potato is from the morning glory family and has slightly fewer calories, a bit more vitamin C and three times the amount of antioxidant-rich beta carotene.

Now that we’ve covered the origin of the sweet potato, let’s talk about why it’s the perfect ingredient for your Thanksgiving menu. Often referred to as “poor man’s food,” sweet potatoes are popular for their versatility, vibrant color, natural sweetness and affordability. Many Southerners — myself included — have delicious food memories starring the sweet potato because it can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, most often baked, mashed or fried. And when pureed, it can be used in soups, stews and chilis, as well as in baked goods and desserts. Of course, most of this potato’s claim to fame comes from memories of sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole. Both are packed full of pureed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, cream and lovely spices like cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Although I do love both of those desserts, my favorite way to eat a sweet potato is baked in its skin and topped with a big pat of butter and a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar. Plus, I always bake extra potatoes so that I can turn them into sweet potato muffins and sweet potato crepes with brown sugar butter to enjoy later on. So, when you plan your holiday menus this year, consider making new food memories by adding the humble sweet potato. Your taste buds will thank you.