When selecting yams and sweets at your local market look for firm brightly colored tubers that
are well formed, smooth skinned and heavy for their size. Speaking of size, it does not make a
difference in quality. It does make a difference in cooking times though. Obviously the Jumbo
Yams & sweets will require longer cooking times when cooked whole.

Avoid sweets that have scarring, sprouting, and flabbiness. Shriveled ends and/or cut ends
are signs of age. Dehydration and decay are in process.

Sweet potatoes have thin skins and should be handled carefully to avoid tearing which will
cause them to spoil quickly. In fact growers "cure' them for approximately 10 days in a high
temperature and humidity to help enhance their natural sweetness.

Store them at home in a dry area right around 55-60°. They should hold up well for almost a
month in this temperature range. Do not refrigerate them because the sugars will turn to
starch and their flavor becomes altered considerably. Wash them only before preparation to
avoid moisture that will cause them to mold. More