by Diane Sagers

CORRESPONDENT

As November rolls around, shoppers begin to notice the displays of sweet potatoes in the grocery store. They are particularly prominent because a traditional Thanksgiving dinner just demands their presence on the table.

Sweet potatoes have been a part of the fall diet in the Americas long before the United States was organized. The sweet potato is native to the Americas.

In the 16th century, Spanish explorers made note of the Native Americans of Brazil who used the tuber for food. They took the vegetable back to Spain in 1519 and from there other countries in Europe adopted it.

Ironically, the early European settlers to North America brought sweet potatoes with them from Europe. They are popular across the country, sometimes seasonally, but they have become a staple in the Southern states where they are typically raised. They are so common that in some areas of the South they are referred to simply as potatoes and the white potato is the "Irish" or "round potato."

Close to Thanksgiving, grocery stores have displays of the lighter pink-yellow fleshed variety and of the darker, moister orange ones with darker skin. Many times, the stores refer to one as sweet potatoes and the other as yams. Nevertheless, you can choose your favorite kind and still be eating sweet potatoes.

There is an edible vegetable called a yam that grows in the tropics, but they are typically available in the United States.

Although we enjoy sweet potatoes around Thanksgiving and Christmas when prices are lower, there are good reasons to eat them more often. They are available year-round, either as fresh or canned vegetables. They are a superb source of vitamins A and C, and also provide thiamin and iron along with other vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of fiber and are not particularly high in calories. (Baked sweet potatoes have about 145 calories per serving.)

Sweet potatoes are easy to cook, lending themselves to most of the same cooking methods used on white potatoes, but they reheat better. They can be baked, boiled, mashed, fried, stir-fried, deep-fried, grill broiled, braised, stewed, pressure cooked or microwaved. They are soul mates with fruits and fruit flavorings.

When you purchase sweet potatoes, choose uniformly shaped, plump, firm specimens without decay, soft spots or shriveled areas. Darker skin usually means more sweet, moist flesh.

You can purchase extra to store. Sweet potatoes will keep for about a week at room temperature, but if you store them at 50 to 65 degrees in a dark, relatively dry place, they should be good for up to two months. Do not store uncooked sweet potatoes in the refrigerator.

To cook, scrub them well, and trim ends and woody areas. Peel them before cooking or cook them in their skins and peel later.

Although the holidays bring out the fancy cooking in all of us, don't overlook the vegetable's delightful plain flavor. Try baking them. While it takes about an hour at 375 degrees to bake two medium sweet potatoes in a conventional oven, the same job takes about 10 to 15 minutes in a microwave. Serve them like baked potatoes, adding butter and salt and pepper or butter and brown sugar at the table.

Candied sweet potatoes make a very popular dish for Thanksgiving dinner and the marshmallow topping makes it a hit even with younger children.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Miniature marshmallows (or large marshmallows for marshmallow lovers)

Boil sweet potatoes in their skins, peel and slice about 1/2-inch thick. Combine brown sugar with margarine or butter. Sprinkle over cooked sweet potatoes and bake until sugar begins to dissolve.

Sprinkle miniature marshmallows over the top and return to oven until marshmallows are melted. May broil for a few moments to brown the marshmallow topping.

Nutty Sweet Potatoes

1 1/2 cup cooked sweet potatoes, mashed

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 stick butter or margarine melted

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine yams, white sugar, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 stick melted butter. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Add cream and mix well. Pour into buttered casserole dish.

Mix brown sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons melted butter and pecans, and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub sweet potatoes with brush to remove surface dirt. Trim ends and woody areas. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Do not peel. Place sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

Make a slit in the top of each sweet potato. Top with 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Microwave baking: Prepare sweet potatoes for baking as above. Place 2 to 3 sweet potatoes in microwave and bake until they are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat for next 3 or place more in microwave and increase baking time. (Baking times may vary according to number of potatoes and size.)

Variation for toppings: Top with maple syrup, brown sugar, sour cream, caramelized onions, a pinch of cinnamon, orange zest or canned applesauce.