Okay this may be a stoopid question but . . .

Is there any way you can tell by the[b] physical appearance [/b] of a yam whether it is the bitter kind or not?  Yams are very expensive here and I am tired of throwing my money away at the african store buying it only to cook it (boil/fry) and be rewarded with a very bitter taste. To the point I've stopped buying yams now  .

wow, so nobody knows jack about yams here? lol

@ poster
you can always add sugar to the yam while cooking it

^ yeah I know about adding to sugar to yam while boiling it. But if you've tasted the sometimes extreme bitterness of some of the yams here, you'll know what unless you dump a whole jar of sugar into it, it won't make a difference. Thanks though.

I think the skin needs to be a bit dry. Any yam that looks to new is probably bitter. Really trying to explain but don't know how.

aysometin:

I think the skin needs to be a bit dry. Any yam that looks to new is probably bitter. Really trying to explain but don't know how.

I think I get what you mean, that is if it looks smooth like these?

But I've cooked yam many many times that looked "new" and tasted just fine

spikedcylinder:

Do you have the option of buying the ones that have already been cut? So at least you can see whats going on inside?

Sometimes there are some tubers that are cut in half (I reckon cos they're too big?). But then the white part has already turned from white to brownish. Is there a way you can tell from that?

the yams in the pix is alright. so if you come across yams like that, it is ok. as for brownish color, i think it is the weather here.
what i do is, i buy one, peel and cut it roundish not too small, not too big wash and pack into ziploc then store in freezer

@Poster, do you ever eat Yellow yam, that's very sweet.
Puna yam can be wonderful and swells so much that a small slice goes a long way.

Try to open d yam @point of purchase,if its pure white,it'll be sweet.