Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Pockets, 2005 (Wall hanging made from repurposed wool coat)
"Think Potato" Show at Las Vegas Contemporary Art Collective

Last night I made sweet potato wedges in the oven. Recipes for sweet potato fries are all over the internet, but this one is really easy, flexible, and healthy. A couple of weeks ago when we were eating dinner Audrey said, "Vegetables make you strong but potatoes make you happy." Wise girl. Technically, sweet potatoes aren't potatoes at all, but I think that lesson can wait until she is older.

Sweet Potato Wedges

• 2 large sweet potaoes, washed and patted dry. No need to peel.
• 1 tsp. to 1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
• salt, pepper, rosemary to taste*

1. Put olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary in large zip-lock bag.
2. Cut each sweet potato into 8 - 10 wedges. Personally, I like smaller wedges because they cook faster and end up crispier.
3. Put sweet potatoes in bag and shake to coat.
4. Arrange wedges on a cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 450 degress for 15 minutes. Turn over/toss and then bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

*Instead of rosemary, you can use cumin and chili powder for a kickier flavor.

Potato Love

Potato Love on St. Patrick's Day! Here is one of my favorite potato recipes. We had this at our wedding. Yum!

Potato

Over the course of the last few weeks, emails have been bouncing back and forth about the possibility of a Potato Exhibit at the United States Botanic Gardens in Washington DC next May. Meredith and Tom Hughes, co-founders of THE POTATO MUSEUM, an organization dedicated to researching, preserving and explaining to the public the history of the world's most valuable plant, are the organizers. Rebecca, Nina and I have decided to participate. Our first potato event, The Potato Eaters: Dig It Baby! was in St. Louis, Missouri in January of 2002. The Cult of Potato group exhibit followed in February 2005 at the Contemporary Art Collective in Las Vegas, Nevada.

My first instinct was to say no to this invitation. But I always have such a good time at these events and the opportunity came about right on the heels of The Kick Ass Awards -- so I was feeling a certain calling, a need to do something creative and communal. Then over this weekend at my parent's, I stumbled upon The Complete Potato Cookbook at an antique store AND my mom found a heart-shaped potato in her bin. I took these as signs. So now I'm contemplating potato-inspired artwork that has some component of education and/or interactivity and/or community. Ideas abound. Time does not. We'll see how it goes. You can follow the activity at http://cultofpotato.magntize.com/.

Classic cookbook by Ruth Bakalar, copyright 1969. "Here, at last, is a book that celebrates the lowly potato in teh style it deserves, presenting sumptuous food that are bound to please even the most finicky palate."

Mom scores a giant heart-shaped potato. We couldn't bear to eat it.

Me, contemplating the potato. Photo courtesy Jess Dewes.