The 'sister of carrots'

[BrumJim]

Hear the orange carrot story enough times for me to believe that it is true. The proper British carrot is the wild carrot - much smaller and pale white colour.

Veg box delivery we get occasionally goes wild and puts yellow and purple carrots in the box rather than the conventional orange ones. But only very rarely.

 

[palinurus]

Ms. P's parents visited us once, from France. I served some roast parsnips. They had never seen a parsnip- didn't know what it was.

Perhaps I'll try introducing the parsnip to France. Maybe I'll get rich.

 

[palinurus]

If the parsnip is the sister of carrots then what is the mother of carrots?

 

[palinurus]

I'm going to be rich!

 

[661-Pete]

I think we've seen parsnips - 'panais' I think - in the local Intermarché, but now you mention it, I'm not 100% sure. We'll be able to check when we go over next week - also how much they cost. I'd be most surprised if they don't feature in French cuisine one way or another.

 

[661-Pete]

If the parsnip is the sister of carrots then what is the mother of carrots?

I'd say - Giant Hogweed:

....but don't try eating it! (actually I think it's illegal to grow it)

 

[PBancroft]

http://www.bbcgoodfo...ossary/salsify/

No, I know what Salsify is (I grow it in my allotment), I meant if Parsnips are the sister of Karrits, then where do Salsify fit into the familial relationship structure.

 

[rich p]

I'm going to be rich!

Keep a crsip packet handy

 

[Paulus]

I'd say - Giant Hogweed:

....but don't try eating it! (actually I think it's illegal to grow it)

It is illegal to grow it as it is a pest. It will bring you out in hives if you get the sap on your skin, but what it does if you cook it and try to eat it, anyone tried?

 

[palinurus]

I'd say - Giant Hogweed:

That is the mother of cow parsley.

 

[Baggy]

No, I know what Salsify is (I grow it in my allotment), I meant if Parsnips are the sister of Karrits, then where do Salsify fit into the familial relationship structure.

Second cousins.

 

[Arch]

Second cousins.

Second Cousin Salsify sounds like a character from an American Civil War novel...

 

[661-Pete]

Bit of botany then.

Carrots, parsnip etc. all belong to the Umbelliferae (now also called 'Apiaceae', confusingly) or parsley family, a huge group of plants which includes lots of herbs and spices (parlsey, coriander, cumin, anise, fennel, yarrow, .... hemlock ?) as well as familiar wild flowers like cow parsley and (normal) hogweed. Giant Hogweed happens to be the largest and most aggressive member of that family growing in Britain.

Salsify does not belong to that group, I just looked it up.

It's strange that some of our most important edible plants like carrots belong to the same family as something deadly poisonous like hemlock or water dropwort. This happens with other plant families too. In the Solanaceae, the potato/tomato family, we also have deadly nightshade and thorn-apple... and tobacco

 

[Fnaar]

No, I know what Salsify is (I grow it in my allotment), I meant if Parsnips are the sister of Karrits, then where do Salsify fit into the familial relationship structure.

sorry

I think it possibly 'claims' to be a cousin, but is actually a bunny-boiling stalker.

 

[bauldbairn]

sorry

I think it possibly 'claims' to be a cousin, but is actually a bunny-boiling stalker.