BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede

Subject: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:10 PM

When I was a young, often at our dinner table was a vegetable we called Turnip. They were large, orange-yellow fleshed vegetable when cooked....with a distinctive taste

Now, when I shop at a supermarket, a turnip is a much smaller, lighter coloured vegetable with a milder (more watery, and bland) flavour with a yellow-whitish colour when cooked.
I have been told these are rutabbaga, or sweeds, not what I once knew as a turnip.

I suspect folks are getting terms, or different varieties (modern marketing hybrids) of the same vegetable mixed up. Anyone know?
Is the turnip I once knew been shelved for a new version, has it morphed, or, is my recollection faulty?

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: pdq
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:21 PM

Actually, turnips are white, rutabagas are yellow and Swedes are blonde.

That was easy.

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:40 PM

Cute pdq.......all you need to know about roots......well, the eating, ..........no, wait......er,uh.........well, the digestible and nourishing variety anyway.....Roots (non-sucking types)

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:50 PM

There seems some confusion in the names, since some locals seem to use the word turnip for swede, or rutabaga or turnip for both


turnip


swede



BTW, some interesting recipe's on this site, if you look around.
Riverford Organic Vegetables

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:55 PM

I believe that in England turnips (or neeps as in neeps and tatties) are referred to as bashed Swedes!

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 07:58 PM

And there is the case of the Chinese Gooseberry, now known as Kiwi Fruit...but possibly not in China?

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 08:00 PM

Wikipedia will fix it-

The rutabaga, swede (from Swedish turnip), or yellow turnip (Brassica napobrassica, or Brassica napus var. napobrassica, or Brassica napus subsp. rapifera) is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip[citation needed]. The roots are prepared for food in a variety of ways, and its leaves can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable."Rutabaga" (from dialectal Swedish rotabagge, literally, "root ram") is the common American and Canadian term for the plant, while "swede" is the preferred term used in much of England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the plant is also known as "Swedish turnip" or "yellow turnip", while in Ireland, it is referred to as "turnip"

It is the rutabaga that Irish immigrants remembered and celebrate their arrival in america with at thanksgiving as it was part of the minimal diet.

It is also the rutabega that is hollowed out to make faces. Pick a large skull shaped one. Hollow it out thin. Put candle in base and suspend from a wire or stout cord. Light candle and wander around with them at this time of year. They look like skulls floating in air.

Remember that there were no pumpkins in Ireland/uk til the discovery of America. So these were carved instead.

My favorite way of cooking them is in Irish Veg stew which uses brown sugar to cut the bitterness.

If you wish to have a guide for carving these,samhain stories, other recipes and customs consult my booklet
http://mysite.verizon.net/cbladey/samie.html

Samhain Guid

Conrad

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 08:23 PM

neeps

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 08:38 PM

A well carved Halloween swede/turnican be genuinely frightening. And it smells earthy like an open grave... Halloween pupkins are just funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 08:39 PM

A well carved Halloween swede/turnip can be genuinely frightening. And it smells earthy like an open grave... Halloween pumpkins are just funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 08:59 PM

Most of the year's gone by and I just learned that 2010 is INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE RUTABAGA


The Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 09:42 PM

I grew both turnips and rutabagas in the garden this summer... Both will grow and grow and grow until you pull 'um up... Guess those in the markets have been harvested with the space needed for the next crop...

Both nasty but good 4 ya... Or at least that's why the P-Vine make me choke 'um down... Yuck...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: open mike
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 12:55 AM

what about parsnips and kohlrabi?
http://www.riverford.co.uk/sacrewell/shop/vegetables/parsnips_1kg/

*music alert*
rutabaga boogie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5u1MBY-RKs

see also:\ The Rutabaga Boogie
http://rutabagas.tripod.com/

another rutabaga song'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjmSGV1yWcU&feature=related

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 03:01 AM

Carved hallowe'en neep/swede

I agree with McGrath, carved swedes are brilliant and look like shrunken heads. I've seen better examples than the one linked to above, but that's still more evocative than carved pumpkins.

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:16 PM

Here's one to give you real nightmares...

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:36 PM

"I am in to this"

turnips

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: JennieG
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:37 PM

How is rutabaga pronounced? I have only seen it written, never heard it said as it's not a term used in Ox. Is it root-abaga (to rhyme with shoot) or rut-abaga (to rhyme with but)? and is the last part bay-ga or bar-ga?

Many thanks if you can shine a linguistic light.....

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: JennieG
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:38 PM

woops....should be Oz not Ox....haven't had breakfast yet.....

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:43 PM

This interesting article was in the last link I posted, in case you missed it, including the comment:

Fighting back - traditional style lanterns turnip the heat on pumpkins

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: Ed T
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 05:50 PM

Try this site, put in the word Rutabaga and the correct sound will be heard on your computer, speakers should be on, of course:
http://www.howjsay.com/

Subject: RE: BS: Rutabaga, Turnip, Swede
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 06:05 PM

I think we pronounce it root a begger more. mg