The Japanese Sweet Potato

I'm just calling it a sweet potato because it goes by so many other names. I travelled half-way around the globe to find myself savoring a root that originated in North America (Mexico), was discovered by Columbus, introduced to Europe, eventually came to China and is now a specialty in Japan.

We love these potatoes steamed and plain although you can fry them, saute them in butter and sugar, candy them, mash them, or do any number of things.


It's not the same as an American yam so in the US it might be sold as a Japanese yam. The inside is white but when cooked it turns a buttery yellow color. The red skin is very thin and if scrubbed well, it can be eaten but if you roast these in the coals, you might want to peel it off. They have a delicious sweet flavor. Because it was originally grown in the Satsuma area of Kagoshima (a neighboring prefecture of ours), we call it Satsuma-imo. However, the people of Satsuma don't call it Satsuma-imo, they call it Ryukyu-imo. Nor do the people of Ryukyu (Okinawa) call it Ryukyu-imo, they call it Kara-imo, because of it's history in China (it was in China before it came to Japan). It's like French people don't call French toast "French toast".





So the miso-making auntie from the top of the hill sent over some sweet potatoes and daikon radish. We steamed the potatoes and enjoyed a wonderful winter treat. It sure feels like winter now. The temperature is dropping into the upper 30's F in the evenings and in an unheated house, it feels chilly.





Must plow the upper field to fluff up the soil since the rain packed it down. Wheat germinates best if there is air in the soil and our planting date is slated for the end of the month.