Is This Vegetable THAT Uncommon?

[MataHari22]

It's a parsnip. I love them. I put them in soups and stews all the time.

I am always kind of sad when people cannot identify fruits and vegetables, or when people don't know where their food comes from. I really believe that food/nutrition/agriculture/basic culinary skills should be a core part of schooling.

 

[LisaR]

First off, all I had to do was read up to the word stew and I knew it would be a parsnip, but here is my family story for the night. I had two sitting on my counter today and my 56 y/o brother stopped by.
Him: What the heck are those?
Me: Parsnips.
Him: Never heard of them. Do you eat them?
Me: No, I put them around the house and stare at them because they are so attractive.
Him: No, seriously, do you just eat it or do you put it in something?
Me: I'm making soup so they will go in there.
Him: Is it one of those new hybrid vegetables?
Me: NO! I thought you were the smart brother! OMG!
Him: Well, you're now the weird sister because I assure you our other sister doesn't use those things.
*****Text picture to sister, responds immediately with parsnips!******
Him: You are a bunch of nuts who eat a bunch of weird food!
Me: Idiot!
Sister: Idiot!
LOL
I really don't know how someone made it 56 years without ever seeing a parsnip or at least hearing the word before.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I like parsnips, I've never put them in stew though. I just roast them in the oven with a little olive oil and salt usually with carrots. Next time I make stew I'll give them a try.

 

[ronandannette]

This is fun...can I try?

 

[Poohshoney]

This is fun...can I try?

Kohlrabi, even more delicious than parsnips!

 

[cijay]

My sister in law loves them. I don't like them.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My mom used to put them in soup.

 

[minnie mum]

My mother used to regularly inflict boiled ( wayyy overcooked) parsnips on us when I was a child. Mostly because like other root vegetables, they kept for long periods in the cellar in the winter. As an adult I avoided them for years, until I tasted them roasted, with other vegetables. They're so much better that way.

 

[ronandannette]

My mother used to regularly inflict boiled ( wayyy overcooked) parsnips on us when I was a child. Mostly because like other root vegetables, they kept for long periods in the cellar in the winter. As an adult I avoided them for years, until I tasted them roasted, with other vegetables. They're so much better that way.

While parsnips are one of the crops that would have thrived in our climate, my DMom never wasted garden space on them - favouring more mundane root veggies like carrots, beets, radish & turnips instead. I do like them very well though; maybe because having them rarely made them kind of a treat. I actually find it surprising and funny that so many people didn't know what they were.

 

[minnie mum]

While parsnips are one of the crops that would have thrived in our climate, my DMom never wasted garden space on them - favouring more mundane root veggies like carrots, beets, radish & turnips instead

I grew up in Alberta, too. The garden always had a few rows of parsnips, as well as the carrots, beets and turnips. Funny thing is Mom hated parsnips as much as my sister and I did. But Dad insisted on them.

 

[DisneyJules]

I love parsnips, especially when they've been roasted. Mmmmmm.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I never had to eat them because my mother hated them, lol.

 

[Diznygrl]

Mmm, I love parsnips. Usually I roast them with potatoes and/or carrots but I've heard that you can puree them to make a pretty tasty mashed potato substitute.

Also love kohlrabis! But the only reason I know what they are is because my mom and grandma used to grow them. I don't think I've ever seen them in a grocery store.

 

[disykat]

It's funny, I've had turnips, rutabagas, beets, kohlrabies... but I don't think I've ever tried a parsnip.

 

[jevs]

Haha I thought it was a turnip. I don't eat them or parsnips.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I know what a parsnip is and have eaten them from time to time but did not grow up eating them--probably never saw one as a child. My parents hardly cooked at all (we ate a lot of TV dinners) and when I visited my grandmother in Texas she had huge gardens and cooked a lot, but I don't think parsnips tend to grow well in that climate (maybe?) so that is not one of the veggies she had/made.

 

[NMAmy]

DH adores parsnips but I can't stand them. I roast them for him a few times a year when he gets a craving and I'll have another veggie instead.

It's always kind of amusing to stump the cashier but they always recognize parsnips when I buy them. However, I swear every single time I buy artichokes, the cashier will ask me how to cook and eat them.

 

[tennisfan]

I love parsnips, roasted with a little honey

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't believe I've ever had parsnips, but I know what they are.

 

[aprilchem]

Parsnips are good - I like them! I know what you mean about cashiers not knowing - yesterday I bought a papaya and mangoes and the cashier took FOREVER to figure out how to ring them up. For some reason they don't put number stickers on those, even though my oranges, blood oranges, and bananas all had them.