Garnet and Jewel Sweet Potatoes

     Sweet potatoes come in many varieties and, in many cases, their flavor and appearance may overlap. In the case of the Garnet Sweet potato (often casually called "yam") their season peaks between September and March (which means we're stocking newly harvested ones right now!), but you would be hard pressed to find somewhere that did not stock them year round. Many sweet potatoes have a pale salmon color and are cylindrical in shape, tapering at the ends. The inside will be a deep, golden orange and starchy-- a bit like a potato.

      They are very healthy! The sweet potato is the root of a plant and holds most of the moisture and nutrition for the above-ground portion of the vegetable. This makes it an excellent alternative for potatoes when making fried or baked snacks such as French Fries or chips. Another way to prepare this variety of yam is boiling them until soft and mashing into a paste to be used in a pie. Of the common varieties, Garnets cook the quickest. Roast a few varieties at the same time, and Garnets will get soft and creamy first. These are the classic Thanksgiving sweet potatoes.

     Another variety available at Canyon Market is the Jewel sweet potato. It shares seasonality with the Garnet having its peak from September until March. Their skin is not quite as thick and they have a lighter orange with a pale orange hue. The flesh inside is bright orange and starchy but houses more moisture than the Garnet.