Hot potato, sweet potato

I love sweet potato season.  The sweet smell of roasting and steaming sweet potatoes waft through grocery stores and neighborhoods all fall and winter.  Stores have tall steamers with rocks on the top and perfectly steamed sweet potatoes nestled on top.  Trucks sell the lovely treats from special ovens in the back beds.  We even made them at Piyo Piyo by wrapping them in wet paper towels and tin foil, then throw them into the fire.

Today, my family passed by a shop that was making roasted sweet potatoes in large pots.  They put charcoal and potatoes into the pots and let them cook to perfection.

My husband chatted with the owner for a bit and found out he used to be a farmer.  He enjoys selling things to people in the community, so once a week he sells various things.  During the fall and winter, he features sweet potatoes and he sells shaved ice in the summer. 

It is things like this that make me love Japan.  It's a community building side business, welcoming people and filling them with delicious warmth.