I love food, especially soul food. I love the way it tastes and the way it satisfies hunger. I am a big fan of sweet potatoes, but this recipe takes the next step and incorporates them in a savory way that I adore.
If you’ve ever eaten at a soul food restaurant, you may remember the sweet potato fries but if not, you can probably guess what they are from the photo above. These are the soul food fries of choice and the secret ingredient is sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes have a long history in the soul food scene. In the early 1900s, they were used as a filling for meats, and in the 1950s, they were used as an ingredient in fried pies. I’m not sure if this is still a thing, but many restaurants put the sweet potato fries on a side dish as a side accompaniment to their regular menu items.
I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to eat potato. I mean after all, it’s basically a vegetable. So it’s hard to blame them for not wanting to eat something that tastes like a vegetable. (They don’t eat it, I’m pretty sure.) But even the sweet potato fries don’t taste exactly like a vegetable. They’re sweet, have a lot of starch and an earthy, slightly fruity quality to them that’s hard to describe.
The sweet potato fries at momas soul food are actually called “sweet potato fries” in Australia. It wasn’t until after my first visit to the restaurant in the US that I learned the name was actually “sweet potato fries”, and I’m rather disappointed to have to explain this.
That said, the sweet potato fries are quite hearty, and the flavours go from sweet to savoury. I’ve never tried any of the other sides of the restaurant, but they do have a fried chicken plate that is the closest thing to a vegetable I’ve ever had. But sweet potatoes are not on the menu, nor is there an order of fries that includes them.
This is a good sign. I think the sweet potatoes are actually the only thing on the menu that I’ve actually been able to enjoy. It’s hard to say if this is just a coincidence, or if it’s simply a sign they’re about to change the sweet potato fries.
I’m sure the sweet potatoes were one of the first things people were going to eat when I came up with this one. It’s just a little bit embarrassing for me to have to eat those, but I just feel this way when I’m eating them. I love the sweet potato because it’s the perfect pick of food for me to savour.
Im not going to lie, when I eat sweet potato fries, Im actually craving for something else. In fact Im getting it so hard and so fast that Im thinking Im going to die. I’m not sure how to explain it but I’ve started craving for something else now. So I think its a sign that theyre actually preparing to change the sweet potato fries.
It’s not much of a surprise to us that sweet potatoes are very popular over here. They’ve been a staple part of the American diet since the early 19th century. Not only is sweetness a key ingredient in the sweet potato, but we also know that sweet potatoes are high in fiber and a good source of antioxidants. Like potatoes, sweet potatoes are also high in manganese, which is a nutrient that helps strengthen the immune system.
