S EARLY as 1690, Europeans began to arrive on the southern soils of what is now the city of Opelousas, Louisiana. When the French first started to establish their settlements, they found that the native Alabama, Attakapas, Opelousas and Choctaw Indian tribes ate sweet potatoes, a crop native to tropical areas of the Americas that continues to be widely planted in Southern states today. Sweet potatoes became a favorite of Spanish and French settlers, and an important staple in the cuisine of the region.

The brilliant, vibrant orange flesh of the sweet potato brings more than beautiful color to the table. Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene and other important nutrients. Thriving in warm, sunny areas, they are enjoyed around the world for their health benefits, great taste, and availability.

Celebrated for their historical significance as well, sweet potatoes are often a part of the Thanksgiving feast, in the form of a rich and decadent casserole. A dish of smooth, creamy sweet potatoes with ingredients such as butter, maple syrup and brown sugar, all festively decorated with gooey snow-white marshmallows, often accompanies the Thanksgiving turkey. American recipes for candied sweet potatoes and sweet potato pie have long been enjoyed in the South, and are now savored throughout the United States, particularly during the holiday season.