The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-12

With sugar high and hard to get sSrups of various kinds have taken on new lm-
 portance in the eyes of housekeepers. syrup well liked by those who have used if is made from sweet potatoes. 1t is palatable and useful, both in cooking and on the table, and it can be made easily at home from potatoes that other wise might be wasted because of the dlI- flculty in storing them.
 Any of the common varieties of sweet potatoes can be used, according to the United States department of agriculture. Potatoes which have been harvested TOT some time yield a sweeter syrup than those recently harvsted
 The method of preparing the syrup is as follows:
 Wash the sweet potatoes and remove any decayed portions or other blemishes Feeling the potatoes improves the quality of the syrup, but is not necessary. After weighing the potatoes, place them in kettle with from two to three times their weight of water, and boil for one and one half hours or until thoroughly soft Without removal from the kettle ana the liquid in which they cooked, mash the potatoes until smooth and add water II needed to form thin mush.
 The temperature of this mixture should be brought to 14o degrees F., ana one half ounce of ground brewers malt should be added for each pound of sweet potatoes as weighed before cooking. The malt contains an enzyme capable, under the proper conditions of temperature, Of changing some of the starch of the DO tato into sugar. This action is best ac- complished between 140 degres F. and. 15O degrees r. If heated to too high a temperature the activity Of the mat enzyme is destroyed, bense for satisfac- 4ln,~,. afa ar npnRS- sary. The mixture should be thorough ly stirred as it is very important that the temperature of the mass be uniform throughout during the action Of the mait'
 After allowing it to stand for tew minutes at 140 degrees F. the mixture should be stirred constantly while heating until the temperature of 1oo degrees :. is reached, and then should be removed from the heat. Let the mixture, now technically termed the mash" stand TOT one hour. with occasional stirring. At the end of this time place the mash in cloth bags, close the opening of the bag and knead the mass gently. The juice flows out under gentle pressure, leaving the pulp behind. Place the Juice so op- tained in an open kettle and boil down to a syrup of about the consistency or molasses.
 This syrup is especially delicious in any product where a caramel flavor is to be developed by browning, whether 1t pc candy. pudding, custard, pie, icing for cake, sweet sauce. baked beans or glazed potatoes.
 It is also very acceptable as a table syrup to eat with pancakes, fritters, etc Some people like the syrup better If flaw ored with a little caramelized sugar. little acid from one to two teaspoons or vinegar, to, a cupful of syrup is another addition that lends variety, or both acid and caramel flavor may be used to- gether.
 The following recipes for the use of sweet-potato syrup were tested in the ex- perimental kitchen of the United States department of agriculture:
 Taffy--One cup syrup tneariy tweiVe ounces), one teaspon vinegar.
 Cook together about ten minutes or un-