The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-22
THE SWEET POTATO.

| The use OF the sweet potato or batata
antedates that OF the Irish potato and
( yet the latter has not only taken its
place to a great extent, but has taken
It's name as well. The sweet potato was
KNOWN and eaten in England long be-
lore the introductio nof the Irish potato
and wasevidently a very popular vege-
table, as it is this particular articls
which has been given a place in history
by the immortal William, who credits
10 that jovial king of good fellows, that
lover OF all things the most material
the rotund Falstar-the expressed desire
that the sky rain potatoes Presum-
ably that this vain-glorious, craven old
gallant might further CRAFTY his sweel
tooth with new CONNECTIONS and sweets
in the making of which the potato was
! hen chiefly employed; far before and al
The beginning of the white potato era the
tuber was seldom if ever served other
than as a sweet dish; very good ex-
ample being found in the famous potato
ample being found in the famous potato
pie recipe of that worthy. Mistress Han
non Wolley, and among those contained
in her collection known as the Queen
all manner or rare receipts. in preserv-
ing. candying and cookery" The most
estimable Mistress Wolley directs us TO
have our pie-dlsh and crust ready and
lay in butter" and then the potatoes
boiled very tender; sprinkle. with spice
and marrow. blanched almonds, pistachio
nuts, dates, candied lemond and orange
peel and the pounded yolks of hard
boiled eggs. Close with top crust and
bake. Serve with sauce of wine, but
ter and sugar. Almost a century later
the renowned Mrs. Glasse in her char
acterisIic manner also gives US a formu-
la for a potato pudding which doubtless
was most savory but certainly not a
very fit ending for heavy dinner. con-
tanning in the compound such ingredi-
ents as eggs, sugar, butter, spices, cur
rants, sack. cream, etc.
By slow degrees the English and Ameri-
can cooks have come TO an understand
ing that the best use of the potato is not
in the making of a sweet dish, but 10
serve as a savory or an accompaniment
to meats.
Botanically the Irish and the sweet
potato are in no way related-the sweet
potatoes-batatas edulis belonging TO the
same family-cOncolvuius-o which the
morning glory is a well-knowa and at
tractive member. 1t is allied to the COM
mon white potato by the similar nature
of their component parts and relative
food value. Yielding about The same
amount of proteid, they contain, per-
haps, a smaller amount of starch, but
are much richer in sugar and gum. On
account of the excess of sugar they do
not cook so mealys being more mucila-
ginous than the white potato. They are
also more solid and ibrous and most
varieties require more cooking.
Because OF their density and richness
they are not as easily digestcd as most
well-cooked, starchy foods, their par
ticles being more difficult TO separate.
The cultivation of the sweet potato in
this country is confined to a rather linn
tied territory. as it is native of hot
countries and does not take over-kindly
TO the colder parts in our temperate eli
mate. Its Iropic nature makes it pecu-
liarly a product OF the south unless we
make an exception in favor of New Jer-
sey. a state producing a justly famed
variety of this vegetable. which is in
season from August to December; after
this time losing its flavor and finer quail
tiles.
The sweet potato is said to be ma
tive of the Malayan peninsula. where it
formerly grew wild, and it is still made
into sweetmeats by the Orientals. Pre-
served in clear syrup. there are at
tractive and most palatable preserves.
The Japanese dry the sweet potato and
also product -four from the tUber. The
driving process has been tried in the
southern states. but with rather indiffer
ent success so far.
Selecting and Cooking Sweet Potatoes.