There are plenty of good cooks in Vardaman, and they show off their stuff at the annual Sweet Potato Festival cooking contest in November. Mothers, daughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, and sisters-in-law participate in a fierce but friendly competition to create the best sweet potato dishes.

Once the festival is over, Vardaman cooks turn their attention to holiday-meal planning. Many of the sweet potato dishes that appear on Vardaman dinner tables at Thanksgiving and Christmas have been winners in the cooking contest and appear in the cookbook. We've selected a few of the book's best recipes for you to try at your own family gatherings. We recommend that you incorporate Mississippi Sweet Potatoes into your year-round meal plans

Showing Off Their Sweet Stuff

For 34 consecutive years, Vardaman, Mississippi has celebrated the end of harvest with the weeklong National Sweet Potato Festival The yearly celebration includes an arts and crafts show, entertainment, the Sweet Potato Festival Booth, the sweet potato pie eating contest and numerous other activities. And here's a surprise: The local FFA chapter also sells boxed sweet potatoes on Festival Day. For more information, check out the festival Web site at www.vardamansweetpotatofestival.com.

Sweet Potato Basics

To cook sweet potatoes, wash, peel, and cut off ends. Cut into quarters. Cook in enough boiling salted water to cover for 25 to 35 minutes. Or place 1 lb. peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a casserole dish with 1/2 cup water. Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power (high) for 10 to 13 minutes. Cool, then mash.

To mash, use an electric mixer or potato masher.

1 medium sweet potato weighs about 7 1/2 oz.

1 medium sweet potato = 1 1/4 cups shredded

1 medium sweet potato = 2/3 cup mashed

1 large sweet potato weighs about 9 oz.

One 17-oz. can sweet potatoes = about 2 cups drained and mashed

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