Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato
Estimated Inventory, 40 lbs : 7.76
This item was last sold on : 11/03/26
Visit Frieda's Inc.
| Frieda's Inc. | Homepage |
Description/Taste
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions, and can average 15 to 16 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The sweet potatoes traditionally exhibit an oblong, elongated, cylindrical shape, and the ends can be pointed and tapered or trimmed to a round, blunt appearance. The variety’s skin is textured, firm, and semi-smooth, covered in shallow to medium-set eyes. The skin also initially appears brown when unearthed, but once the soil is removed, the skin reveals a dark purple coloring. Underneath the exterior, the marbled flesh bears white, violet, and dark purple hues, and each sweet potato will have varying color intensity. Some may be lighter, while others will have a saturated, vibrant nature. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are known for having a slightly drier, denser texture when cooked due to their low moisture content. The purple coloring intensifies with heat, and the variety’s balanced flavors contribute to a mild, sweet, savory, earthy, and nutty taste.
Seasons/Availability
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are available almost year-round, with a peak season from September through April.
Current Facts
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, botanically classified as Ipomoea batatas, are a pigmented variety belonging to the Convolvulaceae family. Sweet potatoes, also written as one word, sweetpotatoes, are not a tuber but a type of underground storage root found just below the surface of the soil. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are distinguished by their pigmented skin and flesh, making them one of the few sweet potatoes with these characteristics grown in the United States. The variety also retains its vibrant purple hues when cooked, and the flesh color may intensify, depending on the preparation method. This coloring indicates high nutritional properties, and the dense flesh makes it ideal for savory and sweet preparations. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are harvested gently to prevent damage and then cured for 10 to 14 days to prolong their storage life before shipping to markets. The variety is not genetically modified, and its purple coloring is natural and an inherent characteristic of the sweet potato. Chefs and home cooks utilized Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes for a wide array of sweet and savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are known for their high anthocyanin content, a natural compound that gives the flesh and skin their distinctive coloring, similar to that of blueberries. Anthocyanins possess antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation and promote overall bodily health. Purple sweet potatoes also contain fiber to regulate the digestive tract and vitamins C and E, which help strengthen the immune system and protect cells against free radical damage. Minerals appear in varying amounts, including potassium, calcium, and iron. These minerals help the body balance fluid levels, produce proteins for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and support bone and tooth development.
Applications
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes have a mild, subtly sweet, and earthy flavor suited for baking, boiling, roasting, or microwaving. The variety has denser flesh than other sweet potatoes, leading them to take a little longer to cook. The most recommended preparation is to coat them in olive oil, wrap them in foil, and bake them in the oven for 1 to 2 hours. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes can also be wrapped in a damp towel and microwaved to develop a tender consistency. Once cooked, the purple flesh tends to become more vivid and can be added to sweet or savory pies. These pies are popular for holidays, including Thanksgiving or Christmas. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are also used in any preparation calling for orange or white potatoes. The sweet potatoes can be cooked and tossed into salads, used as a crust for frittata, or served in breakfast hashes. They can also be added to soups, stews, and curries, layered on crostini, mashed as a side, or stuffed into dates as an appetizer. Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are layered into casseroles as a cozy, colorful dish, incorporated into pasta, added to hummus variations, fried into falafel, roasted with root vegetables, or mashed into batters for pancakes, muffins, and other baked goods. Stokes Purple sweet potatoes pair well with herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, and thyme, as well as flavorings like maple syrup, brown sugar, and tahini, and spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, and ginger. Whole, fresh Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes will keep for 1 to 2 weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are named after Stokes County, North Carolina, their original site of cultivation. Grower Mike Sizemore gave the variety its name and patented the sweet potatoes to ensure that the same level of cultivation and quality would be met as commercial production expanded. Despite Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes being later planted outside of North Carolina in California, the variety has retained its original marketing name in honor of its roots. North Carolina is considered the top sweet potato-producing state within the United States and was given this title in 1971. The state’s fertile soil, warm climate, distinct landscape, and large labor force allowed growers to switch from tobacco production to sweet potatoes in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Sweet potatoes are also North Carolina’s official state vegetable, having been given this title in 1995. Fourth-grade students from an elementary school in Wilson, North Carolina, were the guiding force behind the state vegetable, and the class, along with the support of their parents and community, wrote letters to the state. Sweet potatoes were chosen two years later and were officially declared the state vegetable in the summer of 1995.
Geography/History
Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes were developed in Stokes County, North Carolina, a region once known for tobacco cultivation. These tobacco growers eventually began looking for less labor-intensive crops to grow and experimented with sweet potatoes, as similar farming techniques and equipment could be used. One grower in Walnut Cove of Stokes County, Mike Sizemore, planted a test crop of conventional orange sweet potatoes in 2003. As he was evaluating the possibility of cultivating more sweet potatoes, he was approached by Russell Slate, a grower also based in Stokes County. Slate was looking for someone to take over his sweet potato business and gave Sizemore his clientele, varieties, and equipment. He also gave him some slips of a purple sweet potato that he had come across by chance. Sizemore established the company Saura Pride and decided to plant the purple sweet potatoes in addition to the orange and white types. He also sent the purple variety to North Carolina State University to clean the plant of viruses, and during this time, the sweet potatoes were named a new variety. In 2007, Sizemore patented the plants under the name Stokes Purple® and was granted protection under United States Plant Patent 17,976. The patent was active until its expiration on December 17, 2005. It was also marketed commercially to the public for the first time in 2007. In 2012, Sizemore licensed the right to grow the purple sweet potatoes to A.V. Thomas, one of the nation’s leading growers and distributors of sweet potatoes. A.V. Thomas is based in Livingston, a town in Merced County in California, and partnered with Freida’s Branded Produce to exclusively sell and market Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes. Frieda’s officially announced the purple sweet potatoes at the 2012 PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California, and has been selling Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes seasonally each year since. Today, Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are sold through Frieda’s Branded Produce and are available at select retailers.
Learn More...Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Le Parfait Paris | San Diego CA | 619-245-4457 |
| Happy Medium SD | San Diego CA | 509-869-2279 |
| Artifact at Mingei | San Diego CA | 619-846-2164 |
| Manna | Encinitas CA | 510-366-3057 |
| Deeply Nourished | La Jolla CA | 808-489-7366 |
| Berry Good Food Foundation | La Jolla CA | 619-666-1633 |
| Thai One On | Carlsbad CA | 760-500-8674 |
| RoVino Rotisserie + Wine | San Diego CA | 619-972-6286 |
| One Door North | San Diego CA | 858-232-4220 |
| Cherry Fish | San Diego CA | 619-990-8340 |
| La Costa Resort & Spa Main Kitchen | Carlsbad CA | 760-930-7063 |
| Chateau La Jolla | San Diego CA | 858-459-4451 |
| Le Papagayo (Encinitas) | Encinitas CA | 760-944-8252 |
| Nolita Hall | San Diego CA | 619-618-8820 |
| The Barista Botanist | San Diego CA | 808-868-8639 |
| C 2 C | San Diego CA | 619-972-9345 |
| Trident Coffee | Coronado CA | 619-246-9316 |
| Harvest Kitchen | Vista CA | 619-709-0938 |
| Lilo | Carlsbad CA | 619-385-0914 |
| Kairoa Brewing Company | San Diego CA | 858-735-0051 |
| Knotty Barrel- Rancho | San Diego CA | 858-484-8758 |
| Living Coast Discovery Center | Chula Vista CA | 619-409-5900 |
| Panama 66 | San Diego CA | 619-206-6352 |
| Cloak and Petal | San Diego CA | 626-319-6878 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato for sale around the world shared on the Specialty Produce App
Check out our QR code Library to download QR Codes that link to our fruit encyclopedia.
Use on your signage and other promotions to share the knowledge!
Use on your signage and other promotions to share the knowledge!
