Sweet potatoes, yams, aren’t they all the same thing? In fact they’re not, with yams being starchier and drier than the orange-fleshed tubers that we’re used to seeing in the stores. And while sweet potatoes are delicious, sometimes I find them to be cloyingly sweet. Yams are a little more my speed; the kids’ reaction? Even sliced and baked into something that resembles a potato chip, yams held little appeal. One day they’ll come around…
ME: OK, guys. We’re trying a new mystery food.
SAM: Potato chips?
ME: It kind of looks like a potato chip, doesn’t it? But it’s actually not a potato chip.
SAM: What is it?!
ME: I’ll give you one. It’s a yam, like a sweet potato…but it’s white. Isn’t that interesting?
EMMA: I’m not going to have it!
ME: You don’t have to have it. You want to try it Lauren?
LAUREN: Mmm…
ME: You like it?! It’s good, right?
LAUREN: Kind of.
ME: Who else wants to try?
LAUREN: Um, why are they so hard.
ME: Yeah, these are not like regular potatoes. If they get really hard and crispy, they almost get like chewy and you can’t eat through them. They’re like leathery. (Note, while great mashed, yams get almost too hard to chew when they’re baked like potato chips)
LAUREN: Mmm hmm.
ME: Should we try making mashed potatoes with these?
LAUREN: Mmm mmm.
ME: Sam, did you try it?
SAM: No, and I don’t want these at Thanksgiving. Because then I’ll get embarrassed because I won’t try it and they’ll think I’m picky, but I’m really not.
ME: You’re not picky at all. But you won’t try these if they’re made into mashed potatoes?
SAM: Maybe.
ME: OK, you’ll try a bite?
ME: What’s wrong, sweetie?
EMMA: [crying] I want it cut… (?)
ME: You want me to cut your chicken?
ME: All right, so, do you think we should try these again?
SAM: The baby chickens?
ME: Those are not baby chickens. Those are regular chicken wings that they cut into smaller pieces, and they look like babies, but they’re not. OK… Sam, you sure you won’t try yams?
LAUREN: I ate it!
SAM: Try what?
ME: Try your sweet potato or your yam or whatever it is.
LAUREN: But we’re having frozen yogurt!
ME: Ugh, I’m confused. I think that’s my chicken wing guys.
Sam, you’re way too cool to be picky!
He’s been snapping his way through the weekend, wearing his snakeskin jacket as usual 😉 xo
I absolutely adore yams. We don’t find them often enough in supermarkets, though. Have a lovely weekend.
I know, they’re always a little challenging to find outside of the holidays. They’re so delicious though 🙂
Hilarious and cute!
Thanks ML!