An A-peeling Result
- wisemanwendy1
- Oct 18, 2022
- 2 min read
This morning we enjoyed a home-grown, baked sweet potato with toasted pecans and cinnamon. I steamed it in a mini instant pot, as we are only cooking for two as empty nesters now. Simple but so good!
We planted sweet potatoes for the first time this summer, harvesting about 28lbs last week.
I love how they are loaded with vitamin A, high in fiber and have a low glycemic index. I'm obsessed with their color and how fun they are to pull out of the earth! It felt like digging for buried treasure.
Some of our specimens were quite huge, while others were long and slender. I have read it may be the result of too much nitrogen in the soil or too dense of a soil. We will rectify this next year.
Although our gargantuan fabric pots produced beautiful vining leaves (also edible I hear), they did not produce as prolifically as the garden bed.
The curing process was interesting. You have to consistently hold the sweet potatoes at 80+ degrees Fahrenheit for 4 days to two weeks at high humidity. Then store at 50-60 degrees. This allows them to develop their mild sweetness and skin texture.
Temps in Pennsylvania are currently in the high 60s/low 40s. We ended up curing in a small closet with a stable container of water (humidity) and a space heater (with safety shut off). Sounds like an electrical accident waiting to happen, but it really was okay!
The cost to run the space heater was about $1.50 a day and we cured for four days. Happily, they came out super yummy get-in-my-bowl perfection!
I know exactly what went into these sweet potatoes and felt so grateful as I pondered their nourishment to my body and soul. I could taste the water, the sunshine, and the love! What satisfaction in learning how to grow them ourselves.
How will we keep things interesting with sweet potatoes?
I haven't found a really yummy, tested curry recipe for sweet potatoes yet. Let me know if you have one. Enjoy!
Warmly,
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