Luis Martinez is the owner of Tequio Foods, which imports heritage products from Oaxaca, Mexico, in a manner that honestly and deeply supports independent, indigenous farmers. His background includes working on farms, in restaurants, and as a graphic designer. Now based in Asheville, Luis is combining his love for cooking with his passion for social justice.
This recipe is simple but brings back childhood memories. Back in Oaxaca, it’s super traditional to eat sweet potatoes with sweet condensed milk. You can find a cart selling this everywhere.
I chose Ten Mile Farm as the provider of sweet potatoes for this recipe. Ten Mile is female owned and operated. I like that, because in the agriculture industry is hard to find a farm where the leadership is female. They focus on rotating crops, which is vital to keep healthy soil. Also, we need more businesses that focus on breaking the pattern of using chemical fertilizers and other nasty stuff for our health.
Knowing where your produce and meats are coming from gives an extra layer of knowledge regarding how you can cook better and how you can adapt your recipes for the season. I love summer because it is when we have a lot of good products, but the fall pushes me to be more creative. Besides, you also are contributing to the local economy. It is all a circle, so the money doesn’t go to big corporations. Instead it stays with the people who need it and work hard to provide great ingredients to their community.
Ingredients
- 1 medium garnet sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons chopped toasted pecans
- 2 teaspoons chopped dark chocolate
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork. Place the sweet potato on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the sweet potato is completely tender and oozing.
- Make a slit on the top of the sweet potato. Mash down each side and add toppings: sweetened condensed milk, pecans, dark chocolate, and cinnamon. Enjoy warm.