I’m thrilled to be kicking off Season 2 of with Nancy Johnson’s debut novel, The Kindest Lie. Johnson’s story takes us to 2008 just after Obama won the election. Her protagonist Ruth, an upwardly mobile Black woman, is seemingly happily married in Chicago. But Ruth has a secret, one which threatens her marriage and her identity. As she travels home for the holidays and decides to stay, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. The lie—kind or not—will no longer remain a secret.
The book is set between Thanksgiving and Christmas of that year, so author Nancy Johnson provided her family’s method for making candied yams. As we discuss during the show, nearly all “yams” sold in the U.S. are actually sweet potatoes. True yams are native to the Caribbean, a super-starchy tuber with a waxy, bark-like skin. During the show we also talk about my love for whole nutmeg, which really amps up this dish. Watch the full episode below.
Candied Yams
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2" slices
- 2 tbsp butter (unsalted)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (organic)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large Dutch oven (10-12" in diameter). Add water to just barely cover (about 2 cups). Turn burner to medium.
- When butter is melted, stir once. The liquid should just be simmering, not boiling. Cook for about an hour, shaking the pan every 10 minutes (do not stir or the potatoes will break up) until tender but not falling apart or mushy. Use tongs or a fork to flip over any slices that are out of the liquid, so they cook evenly.
- Remove to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top and serve.
- Served at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with other sides like peas, corn, and macaroni and cheese.
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