Why You Should Never Pierce Sweet Potatoes Before Roasting Them

Unlike white potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes don't have skins that are pleasurable to eat. Instead of getting crispy, they get tough, with a texture somewhere between paper and leather. The insides, however, are quite delicious, and we have the skin to thank for that because it acts as a perfect roasting packet for the tuber’s fluffy interior. Here’s the key: it does its job best if you don’t pierce it before cooking. Piercing a sweet potato lets steam and sugar escape while roasting, and that’s a waste. Don’t worry, the sweet potato won’t explode without being pierced. In fact, they are much easier to peel because the steam pushes against the skin as it tries to escape, separating it from the flesh. Roasting a whole, un-punctured sweet potato in a hot oven — 450º F for about an hour — results in a tender, fluffy potato with flimsy, somewhat charred skin that flakes off in huge pieces with the gentlest of tugs.

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The Unsolved Mystery of a Massachusetts Library's Baked Potatoes

As if out of a Sherlock Holmes novel or an Agatha Christy classic, a mystery emerged outside the Wayland Free Public Library in Wayland, Mass., recently and has since gained national attention. The front lawn of the library had begun accumulating what appeared to be perfectly baked russet potatoes. The first potato appeared on January 11th, and just two days later a second spud popped up. None of the staff can imagine how they got there. From a nearby raccoon foraging in someone’s compost heap to a friendly black bear leaving offerings, people chimed in with their theories. “A game of hot potato gone awry?” one person asked. The truth behind the appearance of the starchy spuds has yet to be uncovered, but Andy Moore, Assistant Director of the library, says that because the vegetables haven’t caused any harm, the staff plans to leave them where they are for now.

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Life-changing "Backward Walker" is Helping People Move Forward

As a lifelong innovator, Rob Karlovich had a vision for a revolutionary new walking aid that was inspired by a news story about disabled veterans returning from Afghanistan. They were people who were once able to move with agility, but now were struggling just to walk safely with the traditional walkers available to them. Rob realized that all the available mobility devices has two fundamental problems. First, they threw people off their center of gravity, forcing them to lean forward, which then made them unstable and more likely to fall. Second, they required using your hands to operate them, limiting daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, gardening, dancing and even hugging. To solve these problems, Rob flipped the traditional walker concept upside-down — backward, to be exact. Following five years of real-world trials by over 2,000 users, the LifeGlider has officially launched. The LifeGlider, which is FDA approved as a mobility device, sells for $695, but the company also sells refurbished devices for $495, plus shipping, at www.mylifeglider.com

 

 

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Dunkin’ Is Testing Pre-Made Salads

Dunkin’ is trying out an unexpected new food option at select locations: salads. The salads will be pre-made daily by the Chicago-based company Farmer’s Fridge and sold in portable jars. Six Dunkin’ locations — half in Chicago and half in New Jersey — will test-sell the salads, along with grain bowls and other healthy food options from Farmer’s Fridge, whose mission is to make fresh, healthy food as accessible as a candy bar. Coffee drinks are now a huge focus, and even led to the removal of “Donuts” from the chain’s name in 2018. The company believes that salads could be an easy big seller if customers see that they can grab a quick, healthy bite at Dunkin’. Only time will tell.

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