Sweet Potato vs. Yam: A Starchy Mash Up

Yams, Sweet Potatoes, and Potatoes

Is it a Yam or a Sweet Potato? Phew, that is one contentious question! You should see my family get into it. In the East we call them Sweet Potatoes, in the West they're known as Yams. 

Yams, Sweet Potatoes, and Potatoes have a tangled history.  All three are quite distinct. I would bet that if you've eaten "Yams" in North America, they were actually Sweet Potatoes. And since we're on this topic we must include Potatoes in the conversation. Though not often confused with the other two roots, Potatoes, have come along for this wild etymological ride.  It was the Sweet Potato that lent its name to the Potato – not the other way around.

Sweet Potatoes

Now, how did the names get so messed up? Let’s start with the Batatas. Sound familiar? It’s 1492. Christopher Columbus bumps into the Carribean. While harassing the indigenous population, his crew encounters a Starchy Root vegetable. The local Taino call it the Batatas and it’s now what we know as the Sweet Potato. The Sweet Potato, along with Columbus, has been part of American culture from day one. Sweet Potatoes are a staple dish at Thanksgiving and are very popular in the Southern States. It’s North Carolina’s State Vegetable.

Potatoes

Potatoes, Patatas, Batatas…The Spanish word for Potato is Patata, which by no leap of the imagination clearly came from Batatas. While the Spanish were crusading through South America in the 1500’s, they came across another Starchy Root called the Papa. What we now call the Potato. The Potato, though initially mistrusted in Europe, went on to become a staple crop. High yielding, cold hardy, and easy to store – it was an ideal crop for Europe peasants, though criticized as a dirty food by upper class Britons. It led to huge population growth, though over-reliance combined with an outbreak of Late Blight lead to the devastating Irish Potato Famine (and why many of our ancestors are here in North America).

African Yam

The Yam has it’s own long history and was only tangled up with Sweet Potatoes through in the last couple centuries. The Yam is a tropical grass that originates from West Africa (important food in Nigeria). It’s English name likely came from various West African words including Nyami and Iyan. It’s also widely eaten in East Asia and the Caribbean. There are many varieties, both wild and cultivated. Rough skinned tubers can range from potato size to several feet long. Its flesh can be a variety of colours (just like Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes). The Yam was brought to the Caribbean during the slave trade and is still grown there. Similarity between white Sweet Potato and the white Yam seems to have led to the names crossing over in the Southern US.

Rebranding the Sweet Potato

In the mid 1900’s, Sweet Potato farmers in the United States started growing a softer, orange variety of sweet potato. The one that we eat today. The industry wanted to differentiate their new crop from the firm, white Sweet Potato that Americans were accustomed to. Up to that point, Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes were both generally white fleshed. The word Sweet Potato, after all doesn't sound terribly exciting or or healthy ("Sweet + Potato"?? Come on). I would love to have heard the rationale for choosing Yam as the new name. From what I have read, the word Yam (but not the food itself) had been floating around the Southern US since the time of Slavery as an alternative to the white fleshed Sweet Potato.

This recent re-branding of the Sweet Potato to “Yam” has lead to a lot of this confusion. In the USA producers are required to label Yams as Sweet Potatoes. It’s fair to differentiate the orange "Yam" from the white Sweet Potato. "Yams" become soft when cooked (masheable) whereas the older white varieties stayed firm. To add to the confusion, in Eastern Canada they don’t often use the term Yam, they are just orange Sweet Potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas)  have tapered ends.

Originated in Central America. It’s North Carolina’s State Vegetable.

Orange varieties known as Yams in North America.

Related to the Morning Glory Flower.

Yams (Genus Discorea various species) are chunky or tapered.

Originated in Tropical West Africa. Important crop in West African, East Asia, and Caribbean. Still a specialty item in North America.

Related to grasses and lilies.

I've never seen one in my life! 

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are round or egg shaped.

Orginated in South American Andes. Thousands of varieties.

Nightshade Family with Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants, Tomatillos, Husk Cherries. 

Graham Waugh, Human Nature, Calgary, New Brunswick, Food Writer, Farm, Salad Spinners

Meet the Brassica Family

What’s in a name? 

Meet the Brassica-Saurus family

 

Savoy (aka Blistered) Cabbage: From Middle English Caboche meaning "head".

Arugala: Demonstrating a perfect Crucifer shaped Flower (also great on salads)

Radish: from the Latin for Root radix

 

The Brassicaceae family includes many popular vegetables (and some unpopular ones). From Broccoli to Cabbage, Arugala to Bok Choy. Roasted roots, steamed greens, fresh in salads, and frequently fermented, this family is perhaps one of the oldest and more adapted vegetables we consume.

These veggies have a variety of common names including Brassicas, Crucifers, and Cole Crops. Let’s break those names down. To start – Brassica is a relatively new term that was Latin-icized from the Celtic word for cabbage -  “bresic”.

Well then, who the heck is Cole? You may have noticed a trend Cole Slaw, Collards, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, and even Kale. These all share the same word root which is derived from the Latin word caulis meaning stem and was later used in German (Kohl). Cole Crops aren’t all Brassicas- only about a dozen of the more European ones are referred to as Cole crops (i.e not bok choy). Interestingly Bro means flower, which makes Broccoli and Cauliflower oddly similar. Cole Slaw may be the most unappetizing salad name out there. Slaw is a crudely anglicized interpretation of the Dutch word for salad. And the name for Cabbage itself is a bit of an outlier having been derived from the Middle English word for head - “caboche”.

The Brassica family gets it’s Crucifer name from the shape of its flower. Ever noticed that Broccoli flowers look a lot like Canola? Turns out Brassicas have a Crucifer (Cross) shaped flower (usually yellow or white).  You’ve probably seen some of these crops flower, such as Canola and Arugala but may not have witnessed Kale of Cabbage flowers. Some Brassicas, like many other vegetables, are Biennial. That means they produce flowers and seeds in their second year (similar to Carrots). Kale flowers are delicious if you can find them.

Speaking of Canola, that ubiquitous Prairie crop, is indeed a Brassica. The name CANOLA is actually a modern creation from CANada Oil Low Acid (or perhaps Ola meaning oil). It had the misfortune of being known as Rape Seed. Which isn’t as bad as it sounds since it was from the old Latin word for turnip - rapa. Just like Rappini.  

The Brassica family is huge, diverse, and quite incestuous – both in genetics and names. Their popularity among many cultures has lead to a slew of names which English has adopted haphazardly. Genetically there are three dominant Species in the family with a complicated history. Some were originally from Europe and others from East Asia and then people started playing with. Not even all the Cabbages are from the same Species (Napa versus Red Cabbage). 

One more thing. I have no idea what is going on with this family name in French. Someone please help me. What does "Chou" mean? Chou fleur, Chor frisee, Choux de Brusselles, Chou croute.

Finally here’s an incomplete list of Brassicas. Might not have realized you were eating brassicas for dinner! Which one is your favourite? 

In no particular order:

Broccoli, Rapini, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Napa Cabbage

Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Collards, Kohlrabi

Arugala, Watercress

Tatsoi, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Bok Choy

Turnip, Rutabega, Radish

 Daikon, Horseradish, Wasabi, Mustard Seed, Canola

And more…

Brocoli: A Flowering Stalk.

Growing Kale at Bread and Butter Farm for Winter Harvest

The plant with many names: Black Kale, Lacinato, Tuscan Kale, Dinosaur Kale.

Captain Andrew Kale at Halloween

Alien shaped Kohlrabi (this one is purdy ugly).

Discussing Rutabegas at the FTP farm with Laura

"Oh boy, can't wait to get me some Brussel Sprouts."

Brussel Sprouts: They came from the Low Countries and we all love 'em!

Permaculture and Farms in Vinales

Oxen preparing the soil.

Typical Vinales horse cart heading to town from the countryside.

We had our first experience on a permaculture farm in Cuba when we were staying in Vinales. Vinales is reportedly home to some of the world’s best tobacco farms but we were more interested in the fields of black beans, corn, rice, and wheat. The farms cover every inch of the valley floor butting right up against the dramatic jungle topped Mogotes. The town pulsed with farming life. Farmers in cowboy hats and rubber boots pedaled their old single speed bicycles along main street. Horse carts and oxen competed for road space with tractors and tour buses. Somehow despite the huge amount of tourism passing through this quiet valley the locals carry on with their lives.

It was on one of our long wanders through the countryside that we came across La Chiquitica Organic Farm. Miguel Veliz Collazo welcomed us in for a tour of his permaculture gardens and food forests. With Meghan as a translator we learned that he has been teaching and farming for 25 years and that he works with kids and has hosted UBC students. He took us to feed his pigs that lived alongside turkeys and chickens in a forest of banana and citrus. And then with great enthusiasm explained his HuManure composting system! I was bursting with things that I wanted to say but poor Meghan could only translate so fast. Our tour moved on to his herbal compost tea concoction for combating against pests. We left with mouths agape and hands filled with bananas and citrus. In exchange all he wanted was for help share what he does online.

We met anything fascinating farmer while wandering near Vinales. Raul Reyes has an organic farm on the path to the Cueva Vacca at the base of a dramatic jungle covered Mogote Mesa. Which also happens to be an amazing rock climbing crag. Raul was a weathered old man that you could tell was really proud of his farm and what he grew. He had bananas, pineapples, peanuts, wild honey, home roasted coffee, handmade cigars, and fresh squeezed unsweetened juices. His produce was far fresher than what we’d find on the produce carts in town and we’d always come away with a few freebie bananas.

Cows are protected in Cuba. Killing one could land a Cuban 7-12 years in jail! 

Everywhere we went we saw Cubans in clean crisp clothing. I love this photo. The red dirt road, dog, baby clothes, and trimmed grass. 

Miguel the farmer, philosopher, and teacher. I'm holding the fruit he gave us in exchange for sharing his info online. 

Feeding the pigs in the food forest. I like food forests that include animals for meat :)

Noisily chowing down on some soaked banana (grown overhead). A chicken awaits scraps. 

On one of epic country walks near Vinales. Off the tourist path you see the life unfold. Moments later we watched as a frustrated young man tried to drive his oxen down to the water hole and got stuck in a rut. 

Our smiles hide our weariness from hours under the hot sun…lesson learned. Bring two broad brimmed hats!

Finca Raul Reyes market stand. The best place to stop for a juice after a day climbing in the mountains surrounding Raul's fields.

A caballero and his horse.