Sweet potatoes aren’t even technically a potato. It’s not even in the same family, so how could it be a substitute? This is my brainwashing unraveling in real time and once I realized it I can't be mad at the sweet potato for simply being misunderstood. I looked at common recipes we have all grown up with, candied sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup. I want to make something completely crystal clear, SWEET POTATOES ARE ALREADY SWEET! Why are we adding more sugar? It was becoming more and more evident that the sweet potato was yelling out for help. The custardy inside of a cooked sweet potato is extremely unique from any other root vegetable, that should be complemented with crunch and acid. Developing this was easy once I reached this stage. Similar accouterments to the SP are made present, walnuts and cinnamon, followed by whole spices cumin and fennel, followed by silky and tangy FULL FAT yogurt. When I say this is the best food I have eaten in a long time, I am not joking. One bite and I finally understood the pain behind Meryl Streep's scream in Big Little Lies. Knowing I have dismissed the sweet potato for so long, hurts me and this is my public apology. —Jack Prefontaine
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