Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Italian Black Summer Truffles
Black summer truffles are more subtle than the winter variety. Shave truffle over cooked potatoes, toss with herbs and a shallot vinaigrette. Thinly shave truffle over scrambled eggs.
Seasons/Availability
A winter vegetable, the peak season for Japanese Yams is fall to spring.
Current Facts
The Japanese yam, AKA mountain yam, satsuma imo and kotobuki, is a sweet yam variety that is only distantly related to the potato. It is root vegetable and a member of the Dioscoreaceae family, which houses predominantly perennial herbaceous vines. The yam is essentially the tuber part of the plant, most often storing nutrients and energy in the form of carbohydrates and water, which sustains the plant's growth and ability to survive adverse conditions.
Description/Taste
The Japanese yam is unlike a Sweet potato in its skin color and flesh. Its roughly oblong in shape with a thin rusted red colored skin and a densely textured cream colored flesh. The flesh is dry, starchy and subtly sweet. The skin retains the bitter flavor of the root and it is recommended to remove it prior to eating.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of the yam is principally as a source of carbohydrates, though if eaten in large quantities it can provide a substantial amount of protein, thiamin and vitamin C.
Geography/History
The Japanese yam is native to regions of China and Japan, areas that are much colder than most yam cultivars can survive. Its first known cultivation can be dated back to 50,000 BC. It was introduce to Europe during the 19th Century potato blight as an alternative to the white fleshed potato. The Japanese yam was brought to Hawaii by Japanese immigrants and is still cultivated there today.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Japanese Yams. One
is easiest, three is harder.| The Other Side of Fifty |
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Roasted Sesame-Glazed Sweet Potatoes |
| A Year of Slow Cooking |
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CrockPot Sweet Potato Soup |
Recently Spotted
People have spotted Japanese Yams using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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whole foods Near Rancho Cordova, California, United States About 40 days ago Rancho San Diego Farmer's Market Near Rancho San Diego, California, United States About 53 days ago Spotter's comments : Olveres & Sons Farm is selling these beauties at rancho San Diego farmer's market. |
