I usually find that the smaller, darker, sweet potatoes are the sweetest. If they're all the same color, I go purely by size. Like you I like them plain. It's possible that the smaller, darker, ones that I find are all a specific type/variety; I don't know. That is how my southern grandmother (who made a fantastic sweet potato pie) shopped for sweet potatoes, so I do the same.

I don't know that I favor the smaller, darker ones because I usually just try to find the ones that are not too big, but definitely not the white ones.

Robin, I love sweet potato pie, much prefer it over pumpkin which I think has an off taste. Do you by chance have your grandmother's recipe? And if so would you care to share it?

Thanks, jude

For the ones that are not so sweet, try making savory mashed sweet potatos out of them.

Cube and steam enough potatos for the servings you want. For each serving, also steam 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped.

Once steaming is done, allow the potatos and garlic to dry for a few minutes, then transfer to a mashing bowl.

Add:

Lemon or lime juice, hot sauce, chicken broth, and salt and pepper to the taste and consistency that you want.

You could also add finely chopped peppers like Anaheim or Serrano, nothing too terribly hot.

I can't give you exact measures because I make them differently every time.

These go really well with pork chops or fried chicken.

Kframe, those mashed sweets also are good with some chipotle in adobo sauce mashed in, along with some sour cream and/or cream cheese. I only use a little bit of the chipotle because I'm a wuss but the smokey chipotle goes really well with sweet potatoes.

Carmen, I think the sweetness has to do with growing conditions as well as variety. I've grown Georgia Jets several times and some years they are nice and sweet, some years they are starchier. Plus, they need to be "cured" after digging and if they aren't cured before they hit cold storage, they won't be as sweet.

I buy smaller ones only because I can't eat a big ole' honking one, but the big ones seem pretty much as inconsistent as the little ones.

Annie

Try sweet potatoes in Asian shops. They have four kinds; White, yellow, orange and purple. They are much sweeter and firmer in texture.

dcarch

I don't have my grandmother's recipe; it never turned out right when others tried making it, so we think there was something missing from the recipe card.

BUT this recipe comes really close to the taste of hers; my mom swears that my grandmother didn't put sweetend condensed milk in her pie, but admits that this tastes almost exactly the same. Depending on the strength of your extracts, you may need to reduce them (i used watkins lemon the last time that I made it, and it overpowered the recipe).

Sweet Potato Pie--source southern living

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 (12-ounce) package frozen deep-dish piecrusts, thawed
Garnishes: whipped cream, grated nutmeg
Preparation
Cook sweet potato in boiling water to cover 30 minutes or until tender; drain [Note---it takes more time but I prefer to bake them].

Beat sweet potato and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, beating well. [Note--I prefer using a food processor] Pour mixture evenly into each piecrust.

Bake at 350° on lower oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Garnish, if desired.

Carmen:
Like Annie said they have to be cured after digging.

You have to leave them in a warm place for about 10 days.
I remember my grandfather keeping them in close proximity to a Wood Stove ( 80 Deg. )

I Googled " Curing Sweet Potatoes" they say the starches turn to sugar.
I have found that the deeper orange color, are sweeter.

Off topic:
Took another ear of Corn out of the freezer last night, that was in there since last summer.
I'll have that bad boy for Supper tonight.
Lou

I've never understood the sweet potato thing but we prefer the bright orange ones. As Lou said above, they seem to be sweeter. I roast them at 350 degrees wrapped in foil for a long time, 2 1/2 hours. The long roasting time caramalizes the sugars. Sugar will usually ooze out of the foil a bit so I never just sit them on a rack w/o being on a pan or you'll have lots of smoke & burned sweet potato sugars on your oven floor. All I add is a little butter. They also freeze well so I roast a dozen at a time & freeze in portions enough for two. We eat a lot of sweet potatoes.

/tricia

Carmen:
I cooked the Corn in my Toaster Oven on Bake at 350 Deg.,
for 10 minutes.
It was good.
Lou