Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes might seem like a modern addition to the British diet, but long before they were ubiquitous as wedges on burger menus, they were exported to our shores from South America in the 16th century, alongside the standard spud. Legend has it that Henry VIII could eat twenty in one sitting and became acquainted with them thanks to his Spanish wife, Catherine of Aragon as they were brought to Spain by Columbus (Spain is where most ours now come from).

Sweet potatoes are part of the bindweed family, and don’t produce as impressive yields in this climate, as they do closer to the equator, which might explain why they fell out of favour here despite an early report in the 1560s proclaiming “[t]hese Potatoes be the most delicate rootes that may be eaten, and doe farre exceed our passeneps [parsnips] or carets”. Another account can be found in Gerard’s Herball from 1597, where he eulogises “howsoeuer they bee dressed, they comfort, nourish, and strengthen the body”. This is a statement not dissimilar to modern promotions which tout their high vitamin A content and moderate GI count, meaning they have less affect on blood sugar levels. 

We don’t think you’ll need much guidance for using yours, whether in African peanut stew or baked and topped with chilli, sour cream and guacamole, but in case you want to go truly old school, here’s a Tudor recipe we unearthed…

“Take the roots & boile them in water, till they bee verie soft, then peele them & slice them, then put some rosewater to them & sugar & the pill of an orenge, & some of the juice of the orenge, so let them boile a good while, then put some butter to them, & when the butter is melted serve them.”