Produce Briefs...
Maui Onions
Two characteristics set the Maui onion apart from other yellow onions: the high sugar and high moisture content of its flesh.
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Rainbow chard, also known a 5-color silverbeet, is a tender chard variety with multi-colored stalks of yellow, white, orange pink and red.
Seasons/Availability
Available year round, the peak season for Jewel Yams is September to March.
Current Facts
The jewel yam is, in fact, not a yam. It is a sweet potato that lost its identity to an American labeling system that forced the naming of yellow-orange fleshed sweet potatoes to include yam in their identification. Thus, the Jewel yam is a sweet potato and a member of the Convolvulaceae family along with other herbaceous perennial vines, trees and shrubs. It is the storage organ of the plant, storing nutrients and carbohydrates which sustain its above ground shoots, vines, foliage and flowers.
Description/Taste
Jewel yams are ovate and cylindric in shape, tapering at the ends. They have a rough semi thick skin with a rose hued pale orange color. The flesh is brilliant orange, moist and starchy. The flesh's vibrant color increases when cooked. Its flavor is sweet and its starchy textures allows it to absorb accompanying ingredients' flavors.
Nutritional Value
The jewel yam is a high source for beta carotene and yields a substantial amount of carbohydrates per single "yam".
Geography/History
True yams are native to Asia and Africa and are one of the most important food crops in tropical and subtropical regions. There are about 200 varieties of yams, none of which are grown in mainland United States. Sweet potatoes are native to the New World, specifically Peru and Ecuador. The Jewel variety is one of the most common sweet potatoes cultivated for American markets. Along with the Beauregard sweet potato, these two varieties account for about ninety percent of the sweet potatoes produced in the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Jewel Yams. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Available year round, the peak season for Jewel Yams is September to March.
Current Facts
The jewel yam is, in fact, not a yam. It is a sweet potato that lost its identity to an American labeling system that forced the naming of yellow-orange fleshed sweet potatoes to include yam in their identification. Thus, the Jewel yam is a sweet potato and a member of the Convolvulaceae family along with other herbaceous perennial vines, trees and shrubs. It is the storage organ of the plant, storing nutrients and carbohydrates which sustain its above ground shoots, vines, foliage and flowers.
Description/Taste
Jewel yams are ovate and cylindric in shape, tapering at the ends. They have a rough semi thick skin with a rose hued pale orange color. The flesh is brilliant orange, moist and starchy. The flesh's vibrant color increases when cooked. Its flavor is sweet and its starchy textures allows it to absorb accompanying ingredients' flavors.
Nutritional Value
The jewel yam is a high source for beta carotene and yields a substantial amount of carbohydrates per single "yam".
Geography/History
True yams are native to Asia and Africa and are one of the most important food crops in tropical and subtropical regions. There are about 200 varieties of yams, none of which are grown in mainland United States. Sweet potatoes are native to the New World, specifically Peru and Ecuador. The Jewel variety is one of the most common sweet potatoes cultivated for American markets. Along with the Beauregard sweet potato, these two varieties account for about ninety percent of the sweet potatoes produced in the United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Jewel Yams. One
is easiest, three is harder.
