(Opossums that have been feeding out of garbage cans aren't too tasty; those that have been feeding on wild foods are.)

1 opossum
Salted water
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt (if desired)
Sage or poultry seasoning
Sweet potatoes
Brown sugar
Butter

Do not skin the opossum. To dress the opossum, dip it in scalding water and pull out the hairs. Remove scent glands. Parboil for about 1 hour in enough salted water to cover. Pat dry, then place in a roaster into a 350 degree oven, draining off fat as it accumulates. After the roast has browned a bit, season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of sage or poultry seasoning. After an hour of roasting, add sweet potatoes which have been parboiled 20 minutes in their jackets, then skinned and cut into thick slices. Sprinkle the sweet potato slices with brown sugar and add a dot of butter to each slice. Continue roasting until opossum and potatoes are tender, about 1/2 hour.