Is it possible to buy sweet potatoes in Bulgaria? We love them, but I've never seen them in the market.
Can't do without my sweet potato soup!

I wouldn't like to say but I have seen Bulgarian recipes on the Internet which uses them, you could always grow your own

I know, but you have to have some to start with!!

I find potatoes at this time of year sweet anyway, sweet chips, no not nice, in fact potatoes here seem to be frost bitten and black spotted, a lot of waste, roll on the new potatoes as they are really nice.

I think you can get the seeds from a place in Sofia I will try and find out where it is and if I'm lucky I will get back to you.

You can always make your own mash and add sugar/sweetner and a little finely chopped onion or scallion on the spring onion, yum!! now that is sweet potato fab!!

Oddy

Sounds a bit dodgy Berni I don't think you can substitute sweet potato like that maybe if you used something like squash you might get a similar flavor but I don't know if squash is available in Bulgaria either

Have a look at these 2 links the first one seems to indicate that its available in Piccadilly? and the second link gives a list of suppliers so you may want to email them and ask? Good luck


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I'm sure they must be in the shops somewhere because there is loads of Bulgarian recipes which use them maybe we can get Louise to ask her Bulgarian friend about them

Thanks for all the replies and advice. We would like to try to grow them ourselves, if possible.
Quite tricky I think, as you have to grow "
slips"
- like ordinary potato roots - and it can take a few weeks!
Then you plant then in the soil and hope for the best.

Any more advice would be appreciated!

To tide you over, send some over with your load and prepare them for the freezer but you have to keep for special occasions

Oddy

Good idea Oddy. Squash and all kinds of 'tikvi' like pumpkin etc are the easiest things to grow in Bulgaria and are available in the bazaars in the Autumn. We have a cellar full for the winter for us and our rabbit. Mash squash or pumpkin in with potato for a change. Remember that in Bulgaria nearly all veg is just seasonal as little is imported.

oldun you've been here a while have you ever seen sweet potato in Bulgaria.

No! At least not in Veliko Turnovo bazaar where I shop. Possibly in one of the Brit supermarket hangouts but I doubt it. Importing is expensive for Bulgaria and not much demand I would think. Potatoes are not generally good quality due to growing conditions and climate. Having said that, we have used our own seed potatoes which we inherited with our house 6 years ago and manage to grow enough for about 4 months- Spring to August. Quite a few are small but very tasty and boiled in their skins and then peeled (or not) are quite acceptable as are even the manky ones seen in markets.
I suspect that Bulgarian recipes are for squash or pumpkin. Have never seen any using sweet potatoes.
Don't take my word for it - areas might grow them, but here in the Stara Planina its probably not suitable. No doubt some British person will say they grow them successfully and if so, well done!

Thanks for getting back oldun it was just a thought that those of us with more time in Bulgaria may have come across them but it seems not but lets hope someone knows different so the Barb can eat as many as she wants which will keep her happy.