Yams are perennial plants that grow in tropical zones. The part eaten is the root tuber, very much as a potato. A yam is long, with brown skin and white to orange-yellow flesh. The plants that produce several medium sized tubers are preferred - the yamshave a better, sweeter flavor - to those varieties that produce a single tuber.
On the off chance that one of the farmer’s in your area has decided to grow a true yam, then you can find them at your local farmer’s market. If not, you might find a true yam at a neighborhood grocery store or one that specializes in authentic ethnic foods. A true yam doesn’t look much like a sweet potato at all really. The skin is brown or much darker – not the typical orange or orange-brown of a sweet potato.
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