Friday, August 21, 2009

Not a Yam

The sign at Albertsons said, very clearly, "Yams", but the two root vegetables I put into my basket, purchased, baked, pureed and then fed to my finicky baby were not yams, but sweet potatoes under a false pseudonym. I was instructed to feed Zeke sweet potatoes only after all the other vegetables were introduced and enjoyed so as not to spoil his palate with something so sweet. Here is Zeke enjoying a bit of jicama:
I am not the only person who has been duped by the yam/sweet potato distinction. Much of North America is lumbering about in darkness on this point:
"The sweet potato is ... commonly confused with the yam in parts of North America, although they are not even distantly related to the other plant widely known as yams (in the Dioscoreaceae family), which is native to Africa and Asia." Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato, 8/21/09.
I also found a picture of a true yam. That monstrosity would not fit into my oven for baking, probably feeds at least 20, and I'm positive I've never seen one in any grocery store or farmers market this side of the Missisippi.

10 comments:

ol' Bob said...

Interesting (said in an ominous tone while stroking a cat). Local stores carry a dark orange-yellow root vegetable that is labeled a yam and a lighter yellow root vegetable that is labeled a sweet potato. Have we been deceived?

The Larsens said...

he is so cute! i have been letter asher cry himself back to sleep after reading your post, and it is was worth it! you are such a good mom.

ol' Bob said...

He is cute. How long until he gets an ice cream cone like the one Mike withheld from him in July?

Unknown said...

We plan to withhold another ice cream cone sometime in the coming month. That would make it an ice cream cone like the one I withheld from him in July.

He's such a cute kid. Just like his mother. Well, she's not a kid, but she's cute.

Tina said...

Mandy - keep with the "cry it out" sleep training. It is liberating! I hope Asher is sleeping well for you.

Robert said...

wonderful pictures of Zeke. He seems like such a happy child. Probably from having wonderful parents.
love Mom & Dad

ol' Bob said...

Hmmm. It appears that you are spending too much time in real life activities and not enough time blogging.

Tina said...

Ah...there's never enough time for proper blogging.

Unknown said...

I don't think we should encourage blog obsessions, although I still consider them of greater value than Lego obsessions. Dad. I'm talking to you.

Sorry, I shouldn't be so mean. The first step is admitting you have a problem...

ol' Bob said...

Well, blogging is cheaper and takes less space than Legos.

...

There must be some way in which Legos are better than blogging. I'll think of it. Just give me time.

...

Support your local retailer?