Mr. Hayman

Abstract

This chapter explores the idea of terroir through the sweet potato, in particular the heirloom cultivar of the Hayman sweet potato. Terroir is about much more than the taste of place as an expression of soil, climate, varietal, and process. Terroir, as an idea, encapsulates particular forms of memory and knowledge. It's a connoisseur's word that speaks to the passion and possession of knowledge as a means of understanding the essence of a place and its people through historical narratives, recipes, and oral histories.