Dear American Friends, when I was staying in your fair country I came across a most unusual vegetable that I have never been able to find in the UK

and I wondered if you could give me some more information on it's origins and perhaps where I could purchase and possibly imports (in line with UK and EU laws). A strange looking thing, brownish in colour (color) although this could vary from pink, white and other hues. Raw it was distasteful and unpleasant but cooked it was very palatable. The natives used to cook this vegetable (it may be a fruit, but I am not sure) in to finger sized delicacy and I believe they called them 'ships' or 'chips'..the fruit itself they called a 'potato' or similar. Have you ever heard of such a thing and where could I purchase one over here?