KINGFIELD – The allure of an ice cream truck on a hot August day is enough to make even grown ups coming running to the curb. Convenience, tastiness, affordability…the opportunity is almost always too good to pass up. Apply those basic principals to any ingredient and the success stands. Just ask Ben Davis.
Davis has been handing out hot potatoes for the last few months, using the same model of the reliable ice cream truck, in combination with some traditional Japanese culture.
“Every neighborhood has an Ishi-yaki-imo man,” Davis said. “It’s their version of the ice cream truck.”
“Ishi-yaki-imo” translates to smoked sweet potato. Japanese men slowly circle the streets of local neighborhoods calling through a loudspeaker to anyone who might be feeling hungry. The warm, filling treat is traditionally available through the fall and early winter months, and can be bought for pocket change. Davis, who studied classic European-style cooking and worked as a professional chef in Boston for 25 years, first experienced Ishi-yaki-imo when visiting his cousin.
“He bet me a dollar that I couldn’t start raising money by selling sweet potatoes,” he said.
In the last month Davis has raised nearly $300 from serving hot, smoked sweet potatoes by donation. The money has all been donated to the host business’ charity of choice. A few weeks ago Davis set up his mobile Ishi-yaki-imo station in the parking lot of Signworks in Farmington, and all proceeds were donated to the Franklin County Animal Shelter. This weekend Davis is smoking the potatoes in the parking lot of the Maine Beer Shed and donations will be contributed to the Greater Franklin Food Council.
The stops are pre-planned, and part of a Franklin County-wide circuit that Davis is hoping to accomplish. From Kingfield he will head north to Carrabassett Valley and Eustis, then over to Rangeley and Oquossoc. He’ll end his journey by doing maintenance work on the Fly Rod Crosby trail all the way back to his home base in Temple.
After working in the stressful, high-end Boston restaurant scene for most of his adult life, Davis decided he needed to shift his focus. After seeing the work of the Japenese Ishi-yaki-imo men, Davis decided he wanted to master the art of smoking sweet potatoes.
“I just wanted to do one thing really, really well,” he said.
A steady stream of happy customers prove that Davis is accomplishing that goal. Using only Maine sweet potatoes, with a variety of topping offerings such as Temple Stream Tappers Birch Syrup, pats of butter, and a slew of different spices, Davis said the response has been positive.
Follow Davis on Instagram here or email him at davisskills@gmail.com if you are interested in hosting.
