Just sixteen and never seen a parsnip

[Flosshilde]

#3 salymap

Kohlrabi ... turnip family I assume. Spot on, Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group, according to the RHS veg book, so it must be true. Dont ask me what the Gongylodes Group is or who else is in it, I havent the faintest idea.

This is a fascinating example of the plasticity of plants and the power of plant breeders. The wild Brassica oleracea is a small plant with narrow stem, ordinary roots, simply lobed leaves and single yellow flowers. Entirely unremarkable. By careful selection from the range of shapes and sizes that occur naturally, we have ended up with Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Calabrese, Cauliflower, Kale and Kohlrabi. You'd need to be a pretty clued-up botanist to know that they were all the same species.

We were forced to eat swede at school dinners. I loathed it and have never been near one since. Wouldnt mind a mouthful or two of Mr Pee's though.

The orange one (swede where I come from, turnip where I am now) is one of my favourite vegetables - lovely peppery taste. I also like brussel sprouts. Kohlrabi cooked properly (steamed rather than boiled) is also good.

"You'd need to be a pretty clued-up botanist to know that they were all the same species." Or gardener.

[Anna]

I think it's the strong taste of swede (probably in a watery mash) that puts people off it for life. Try roasting it which transforms it. Swede (Rutabaga), of course, is a main ingredient in Branston Pickle. My local primary and junior schools both have vegetable plots. There was a Jamie Oliver programme where he took a box of veg into a junior school and so many children just couldn't identify basic vegetables because what they consumed at home was pre-prepared (as ShB) has pointed out above. One thing that baffles me with supermarket fish is Cod Loins. Do fish have loins?

[amateur51]

I think it's the strong taste of swede (probably in a watery mash) that puts people off it for life. Try roasting it which transforms it. Swede (Rutabaga), of course, is a main ingredient in Branston Pickle. My local primary and junior schools both have vegetable plots. There was a Jamie Oliver programme where he took a box of veg into a junior school and so many children just couldn't identify basic vegetables because what they consumed at home was pre-prepared (as ShB) has pointed out above. One thing that baffles me with supermarket fish is Cod Loins. Do fish have loins?

That's always perplexed me as well, Anna - what can they be?

[greenilex]

Arguments about vegetable nomenclature are caviare to the general - unless of course the MoD finally appoints a female Admiral of the Fleet and she gets to do the festive sprouts.

There are some amazing greens in Nigeria. Not golf, the other kind. But people will persevere in preferring dried meat or fish. People spending the day at a checkout would probably be happier on a message-board....

[Lateralthinking1]

I never knew that about Branston. I'm very keen on it too.

Probably just as well the unworldly parsnip guy wasn't an old-style apprentice. He'd be following instructions to get a glass hammer, horizontal tent pegs, polka dot paint and a fallopian tube.

[Bryn]

I never knew that about Branston. I'm very keen on it too.

Probably just as well the unworldly parsnip guy wasn't an old-style apprentice. He'd be following instructions to get a glass hammer, horizontal tent pegs, polka dot paint and a fallopian tube.

Or a bucket of amps and a long weight.

[Lateralthinking1]

Aren't those real items?

[vinteuil]

the youth ... held up one of my parsnips and asked "Er . . . what's this?" "It's a parsnip," I bending across the counter murmured in reply -

hmmm, a bit concerned about Mr Grew bending across the counter to show the sixteen year old youth his parsnip....

Mind you, I'm a salsify man meself...

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/knowhow/glossary/salsify/

[Pilchardman]

Swede (Rutabaga)

What is this fresh madness? Swede is bad enough, but "Rutabaga"?

[MrGongGong]

What is this fresh madness? Swede is bad enough, but "Rutabaga"?

Whats wrong with Sardine ?

[vinteuil]

What is this fresh madness? Swede is bad enough, but "Rutabaga"?

here, I think, wiki is quite helpful -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutabaga

and I have to say that I like the sound of the Triangle of U -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_of_U

[Pilchardman]

Whats wrong with Sardine ?

My daughter? Nothing. She's at school, I hope.

[Anna]

The simple reason for Branston using the American name (Rutabaga) in the list of ingredients on the jar of their pickle is that if they listed it as 'Swede' people simply wouldn't buy the product!!

[Lateralthinking1]

To think that my lovely Nan ran that rented greengrocers shop for 30 years and never knew the Triangle of U. But you know people get by. She called parsnips "parsnits", crisps were "cripps". It really wasn't a problem.

[Mr Pee]

Unusual to find such unreconstructed sexist garbage these days, even in Mr Pee's posts

I know. Such a shame. Yet another source of innocent fun denied to us by the PC brigade.

The world's gone mad.......

And just to avoid any further confusion, this is a Parsnip:-