Arracacia xanthorrhiza.
In São Paulo and southern Minas Gerais, this tuber is called mandioquinha (“little cassava”). In Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais’ Zona da Mata, Espirito Santo and the Federal District, it is known as batata-baroa (“baroness potato”). In Paraná and Santa Catarina, the name is batata-salsa (“parsley potato”). Regional terminologies apart, this starchy yellow root, high in carbohydrates and vitamin A, becomes very smooth and velvety after cooking. It is perfect for soups, creams, gnocchi, pies, breads, cookies and mashes. It can also be fried or roasted and served as side dish for meats. It is consumed all over the country, but the production concentrates in Minas Gerais, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Espírito Santo and São Paulo. The best are harvested from May to August.
