Hi Elise,

I just LOVE your blog! Thanks for being so dedicated to it and keeping it fresh!

Since you often talk about the history of a food, or lesser known facts about recipes and ingredients, I thought you may be interested in this site about sweet potatoes and how they are often mistakenly called yams. In fact, "yams" are very seldom ever seen in North America.

Here is an excerpt from this http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64 site...

"The moist-fleshed, orange-colored root vegetable that is often thought of as a "yam" is actually a sweet potato. It was given this name after this variety of sweet potato was introduced into the United States in the mid-20th century in order to distinguish it from the white-fleshed sweet potato to which most people were accustomed. The name "yam" was adopted from "nyami", the African word for the root of the Dioscoreae genus of plants that are considered true yams. While there are attempts to distinguish between the two, such as the mandatory labeling by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the moist-fleshed, orange-colored sweet potatoes that are labeled as "yams" also be accompanied by the label "sweet potato," when most people hear the term "yam" they usually think of the orange-colored sweet potato as opposed to the true yam, the traditional Dioscoreae family root vegetable."

How's that for a tid-bit?

Thanks for doing what you do, Elise!

Tried the sweet potatoes today and everyone loved them. Thanks! I can always count on you for a recipe when needed... Someone else was going to make the sweet potatoes and when they didn't, I needed an easy GOOD recipe. This was perfect.

This sounds great and I plan on having 13 for dinner over the holidays. When you say 'can be prepared a day ahead' how do you suggest the best way to reheat them is? In the microwave?

I was wondering how to reheat these potatoes after they are refrigerated. I have a Thanksgiving function at work in about two weeks. It would be very easy to make this recipe the day before and bring the next day. However, would you simply microwave it until fully heated? Would you stir in a bit of water, milk, or something else to rejuvenate the moistness of the potatoes?

Note from Elise: I would just reheat them in the microwave, and then stir in a little water if needed.

I make something very similar to this and always make the day before. The next day, I just bring the dish to room temperature and then microwave. I find that this way it heats quicker and you never have to use any extra water etc.

Well, happy one year anniversary to me. I've been scanning your blog daily since last November--today, to be exact.

I've never commented before, but I thought I would today to give thanks for all of the delicious recipes, stories, and information you provide.

My favorite sweet potato recipe you have offered is this one:
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001518mapleglazed_yams_with_pecan_topping.php

Maybe I'll try this new one you've posted for this year's feast.

Thank you so very much for your fantastic blog, Elise. A much loved site for me--

Happy Holidays!

I have been making these sweet potatoes for years...but instead of the lemon juice and orange peel I use about a 1/4 of Triple Sec. My family loves them and requests them every year.

How are red-skinned sweet potatoes different from other sweet potatoes? My family considers Jewel sweet potatoes the ne-plus-ultra of all varities, and we always make sure to seek them out for the holidays.

Could the sweet potatoes be cut into chunks and boiled until soft instead of the bake-and-scoop method of getting their tender flesh? I am tempted to try this because, after draining the water, I could mash them in the same pot (plus they'd cook more quickly). I'm not sure if baking gives them a fuller flavor, though...?

This looks delicious! I love your blog.

My husband does a variation of this based on the Delhi street food he grew up with: mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter, lime juice to taste, and chaat masala. We serve it on Thanksgiving day to add an Indian twist to our typical Thanksgiving fare.

I made for thanksgiving, thinking they would be quick. I made them the night before, they were quick, but also fantastic. Nice fresh flavor not too sweet. Thanks