We’re lucky that sweet potatoes are a seasonal staple through the fall and winter. They’re easy to find, affordable, and so nutritious that they’re often described as a super food. But there’s more to sweet potatoes than the ones that resemble small, orange footballs. There are more than 6000 varieties globally and at least 100 in the United States that can be sorted into five broad types:
There are hundreds of sweet potato varieties that can be divided into five basic types:
Each variety has unique flavor and texture, which means there’s a world of delicious sweet potatoes out there for us to try and enjoy.
We’re finding more types of sweet potatoes in our grocery stores these days, but often the best source for less common varieties is a local farmers market or produce stand. On this field trip, I head to the bustling North Asheville Farmers Market on a crisp, clear Saturday morning in February. I filled my basketful with a half dozen different sweet potatoes to try and compare. When you’re unsure about what an unfamiliar sweet potato (or any market vegetable or fruit) might be like, ask the farmer. There’s no one better qualified or more eager to describe a product than the person who grew it.
Between my Asheville market jaunt and the market in my neighborhood, I found a half dozen different sweet potatoes in the same week, including two that were new to me. One had light skin and creamy white flesh that’s more starchy and less sweet than most orange varieties.
I also found one with deep purple skin and flesh that the farmer had named in honor of her beloved farm dog, so of course I had to try that type too. Charming stories like that combined with the opportunity to buy produce directly from the growers are two of my top reasons to check out farmers markets wherever I go. You just never know what you’ll discover or who you’ll meet.
While you’re at the market, keep your eyes peeled for sweet potato greens as well, although you can also find them in many Asian or international grocery stores. The edible leaves and tender stems of the sweet potato vine are as quick and easy to cook as baby spinach but have much more flavor.
Sheri tours the North Asheville Tailgate Market and discovers a variety of sweet potatoes.
Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.
Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.
When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
In each episode of "The Key Ingredient," renowned food writer and cooking teacher Sheri Castle celebrates beloved ingredients, tracing their journeys from source to kitchen. Sheri introduces us to farmers, chefs and other food experts, sharing stories, recipes and tips along the way. Join Sheri & friends to learn the stories behind some of North Carolina's most beloved ingredients.