Yam or Sweetpotato? Sweetpotato or Sweet Potato? Answers Here
It happens every Thanksgiving. You head to the grocery store to shop for the big day. Of course, you’ll need to buy yams for the family’s favorite casserole. But when you get to the produce department, the display sign says “sweetpotato.” Or perhaps some are labeled as “yams” and others are “sweetpotatoes.” Which should you buy? And what’s the difference between a sweetpotato and a yam anyway?
This Thanksgiving, California sweetpotato farmers are on a mission to end this confusion once and for all. Their message is really very simple: Yam = Sweetpotato
“Sweetpotatoes come in all kinds of colors – red, orange, white, and, even purple. You may see them labeled as yams in the grocery store, but they’re actually sweetpotatoes,” explains Sarah Alvernaz, who farms sweetpotatoes in the heart of California’s sweetpotato growing region.
Alvernaz and other California growers who make up the California Sweetpotato Council are working to educate consumers and put an end to all the confusion about sweetpotatoes versus yams, particularly for younger consumers who may not be interested in eating yams but have heard that sweetpotatoes are a superfood.
“True yams are very different from sweetpotatoes and are a starchy, tuberous vegetable mostly grown in Africa,” explains Alvernaz. “You are unlikely to find true yams at a U.S. supermarket, despite what you might see on display signs.”
Unlike yams, sweetpotatoes are native to the Americas. The United States produces approximately 1.7 million tons of sweetpotatoes each year. California is the second largest producing state for sweetpotatoes because the warm dry climate and sandy soils of California’s Central Valley provide the optimum growing environment for quality roots. Some 90 percent of California’s sweetpotatoes are grown within a 20-mile radius of the small town of Livingston and the remaining 10 percent are grown near Bakersfield.
Alvernaz also explains that it’s common to see some sweetpotatoes at your grocery store labeled by varietal names such as Covington, Garnet or Jewell. But growers actually produce dozens of different varieties.
“We’re encouraging retailers to label sweetpotatoes according to color,” notes Alvernaz. “Most varieties we grow can be accurately categorized as either red, orange, white or purple sweetpotatoes. All four types have similar cooking times and can be used pretty much interchangeably in recipes.”
“We just want people to know that sweetpotato is a modern, more accurate term than yam,” says Alvernaz. “Even if they’re labeled as yams in the store, they are sweetpotatoes! Whether they’re red, orange, white or purple – all can be used in any recipe that calls for yams. Sweetpotatoes are a versatile, delicious superfood available every day of the year.”
To help support this message, the California Sweetpotato Council is working with retailers to correctly label sweetpotatoes in their stores. Shoppers can find simplified, updated information about sweetpotatoes here.
“Rest assured the Thanksgiving yam dish that’s been in your family for generations has always been made with sweetpotatoes,” says Alvernaz. “Probably with red or orange varieties but go ahead and buy whatever color you find in your store. And don’t forget that sweetpotatoes can be used in a variety of recipes not just for the holidays.”
Alvernaz adds that sweetpotatoes are, in fact, a superfood with each containing over 80 nutrients. They’re high in vitamin B6, vitamin A, carotene, and potassium, they’re rich in antioxidant vitamins C and E and are a great source of manganese and dietary fiber.
More information about sweetpotato nutrition, cooking facts and delicious recipes can be found at the California Sweetpotato Council website here.
For the record, the council says it’s sweetpotato, not sweet potato: On this one we admit there’s not a lot of agreement. But we believe that “sweetpotato” is correct because our product is not, in fact, a sweet potato. It’s not a potato at all, but botanically an entirely different vegetable, gifted with a totally different set of better-for-you nutrients, amazing taste, and incredible versatility. So sweetpotatoes—one word—is not only grammatically correct, but it helps make the distinction.
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Gordon Ramsay Burger Moving Into Flamingo Las Vegas
Flamingo Las Vegas just got hotter. Flavor and flames are coming to the resort this summer with the addition of Gordon Ramsay Burger.
The debut of Gordon Ramsay Burger at Flamingo Las Vegas follows the success of the restaurant’s first Las Vegas location, which opened at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in December 2012. It is the celebrated chef’s seventh restaurant at Caesars Entertainment’s Las Vegas Resorts and the fifth Gordon Ramsay Burger location.
“We are incredibly fortunate to celebrate the popularity of Burger inside Planet Hollywood,” said Gordon Ramsay. “So much, in fact, that we expanded the space a few years ago to meet the demand and accommodate more guests. Now, to add another location inside one of the most iconic resorts in Las Vegas is truly a dream come true.”
Gordon Ramsay Burger continues to push the traditional burger, fries and milkshake combination to the limit. Guests can expect some of their favorites on the menu at the Flamingo location, such as the Hell’s Kitchen Burger, Farmhouse Burger and Hellfire Chicken Wings. To achieve a complex flavor, all burgers are cooked over an open flame fueled by hardwoods. Sides include Just Fries with house ketchup and chipotle ketchup, Truffle Parmesan Fries with truffle aioli and house ketchup, and Sweet Potato Fries with vanilla powdered sugar and honey jalapeño aioli. Those with a sweet tooth can choose from a variety of milkshakes.
“Adding Chef Ramsay to our culinary roster creates a whole new dynamic at the Flamingo,” said Dan Walsh, SVP and general manager of Flamingo Las Vegas. “From delicious burgers and signature sides, Gordon Ramsay Burger will be a fun dining destination for family and friends to enjoy at our resort.”
The 8,000-square-foot space was designed by DEZMOTIF Studios and features a large exhibition kitchen, island-style bar as the restaurant’s social hub, expansive storefront windows, multiple dining zones, a nod to Britannia with Union Jack accents and dynamic flame displays throughout. Casual and inviting, the main dining room space has a warm and comfortable feel and offers views of the exhibition kitchen. The spectacular, open-air patio overlooks the bustling Las Vegas Strip and is anchored by a 25-foot-tall LED column showcasing Gordon Ramsay Burger imagery underneath the famous Flamingo neon.
Gordon Ramsay Burger at Flamingo Las Vegas will occupy the former Bird Bar space along Las Vegas Boulevard.
Gordon Ramsay North America comprises the United States and Canada restaurant business of acclaimed chef, restaurateur, TV personality and author Gordon Ramsay. In 2019, Gordon Ramsay inked a deal with private equity firm Lion Capital to expand Gordon Ramsay restaurant concepts across the U.S. and Canada. The company currently has 27 restaurants across Las Vegas, New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, Connecticut, Indiana, Orlando, North Carolina, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Lake Tahoe, Kansas City, Miami, Oklahoma City, and Lake Charles, several of which are in partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
The group is scaling dining concepts as the company taps into several of Gordon Ramsay’s successful U.S. and international key brands including Gordon Ramsay HELL’S KITCHEN, Ramsay’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Gordon Ramsay Burger, Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza, and Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips.
In addition to the Gordon Ramsay North America restaurants, there are 52 international restaurants in the Gordon Ramsay Restaurants portfolio worldwide, where Gordon Ramsay holds a total of 7 Michelin stars. In total, the company is on track to open its 100th location by the end of 2024.
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HEINZ’s Open Kitchen Features Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson
HEINZ announces “Open Kitchen,” a new event series from the brand’s Black Kitchen Initiative. Kicking off in partnership with world-renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson, past and current Black Kitchen Initiative grantees will take over restaurant kitchens for exclusive pop-up experiences. Open Kitchen gives up-and-coming Black chefs new opportunities, experiences, resources, and exposure for their culinary businesses – one of the largest barriers to success in the American restaurant industry. The first takeovers will happen in New York and Atlanta.
Samuelsson – the creative and culinary force behind more than a dozen restaurants worldwide – will open two of his most iconic locations to past Black Kitchen Initiative grant recipients to kick off the program. Samuelsson will also collaborate with the chefs on exclusive dishes for each event.
- On Dec. 6, Joy Crump and Beth Black will bring their signature Virginia flair to New York’s Red Rooster Harlem. Crump and Black own Foode + Mercantile in Fredericksburg, Va. The chefs celebrate Black culture through food, music, community and storytelling.
- On Feb. 21, Samuelsson will open Marcus Bar & Grille in Atlanta to Lorraine “Mama” Smalls and Antwan “Cake Daddy” Smalls. The Smalls own My Three Sons in North Charleston, S.C., where they offer classic soul food with a regional Gullah flair that patrons regularly say is reminiscent of eating grandma’s homecooked meals.
“Opening a restaurant is tough business,” says Samuelsson. “From raising capital to getting people to know you are there, it’s an uphill battle, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with HEINZ on the new Open Kitchen series to provide resources and additional exposure to multiple Black Kitchen Initiative grantees. I can’t wait to see what these chefs cook up in my kitchens. The future is bright for each of them.”
The Open Kitchen series is the latest program coming out of the HEINZ Black Kitchen Initiative. Launched in 2020 in partnership with The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice (SRRJ), the HEINZ Black Kitchen Initiative aims to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Black food culture by helping to break down barriers that keep Black voices and cooking out of America’s culinary space.
“The Black Kitchen Initiative is a hallmark program for HEINZ as we recognize the critical way America’s Black-owned food businesses continuously shape the nation’s food culture,” says Lizzy Goodman, HEINZ brand communications manager. “All Black Kitchen Initiative programming strives to set up Black food business entrepreneurs for long-term success. A key priority for us is growing and evolving the initiatives – as we’ve done with the new Open Kitchen Series – to ensure we’re addressing current challenges Black food entrepreneurs are facing in the industry.”
In addition to Open Kitchen, over the last three years, the Black Kitchen Initiative has committed a total of $3 million dollars in grants and released two seasons of the award-winning Black Kitchen Podcast Series. After announcing the latest $1 million commitment in Black Kitchen Initiative grants in July, the newest grant recipients have been selected. The full list can be found at heinz.com/blackkitchen/2023.
Foodies and fans can purchase tickets to the Black Kitchen Initiative Open Kitchen event in New York on Dec. 6 by visiting https://bit.ly/OpenKitchenHarlem. For more information about the Open Kitchen series and the Black Kitchen Initiative visit @heinzbki, @leeinitiative and @srrj_coalition on Instagram.
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