Cassava, or Yucca Root

We tried cassava root at home for the first time, and I learned a few things about prep that I thought I'd pass on.  This is the first time my local market has carried it, so please, all you people who've grown up eating it, don't laugh at me!

Peel it with a sharp knife, and split it down the middle lengthwise to cut out the center core of tough fibers.  If you plan to boil it, but it into fairly small cubes, because we found it takes a LONG time to soften to the point that you can mash it easily.  There are dozens of ways to fix cassava root, but we wanted to just boil, mash, and eat for our first experience.  We liked it...it mostly just tastes starchy, but there is a subtle nuttiness to the flavor, quite different from potatoes. 

Just a warning: don't mess around with eating it raw.  Improperly cooked cassava can have a little bit of a cyanide problem!  But given that it's the 3rd most often ingested form of carbohydrate world-wide, just cook it and don't worry.