Driving back from Charleston, I was distracted by a dusty, old pickup truck sitting on the side of the road just this side of St. Matthews. Inside were several half bushel baskets of just-dug sweet potatoes.

I knew I was in the right place at the right time as it would be about impossible for anyone to resist these gems as they drove past. Bearing the traces of the still warm soil they were harvested from, these 38 dark orange beauties returned with me.

I always buy more than I could possibly need as sharing them with other people is a large part of the joy of finding them.

I took them inside when I arrived home and scrubbed them clean under running water. A few had the odd chop here or there but that was no distraction from the anticipation of serving them later.

I placed them on kitchen towels to dry and wrapped 4 in foil to bake on a cookie sheet, at 350° for an hour - more or less by 15 minutes depending on your oven and the thickness of the potato.

Baking them longer makes them softer and sweeter. They are done. My favorite way to eat them is plain, just out of the ov en with butter.

A nice way to serve them to guests is as individual souffle’s in ramekins that you bake again in the oven.

Using 4 cooked potatoes, remove the skins and slice into rings. Do not slice them length wise or you will have a souffle of stringy, un attractive potato.

Using a sturdy whisk or hand mixer, combine potatoes, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp clear vanilla and 1/2 stick salted butter.

The mixture will become smooth and loosen up after about 2 minutes.

Transfer to 4 individual buttered ramekins, Top each ramekin with a tsp of light brown sugar.

Bake at 350° for 20 minute.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Place each ramekin on a silver or porcelain bread and butter plate, Dust with a little powdered sugar. Garnish with a wedge of orange and a few dried cranberries.

This ‘Red Jewel’ variety of sweet potatoes is something the Corley family of Lexington has grown for generations.

These weet potatoes may be a local favorite of your family as well.