Square Root

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Let’s get to the root of all roots (Ingredient Special on Parsnips).

I recently learned that parsnips were the predecessors to potatoes on our tables. Wow! One thing I was always sure of was that potatoes would be the most plain, common, and traditional of ingredients. But no, parsnips were there long before. And for a good reason, because they are not only very versatile, but also a lot easier to grow.

Parsnips hit me personally first in good old London a couple of years back. In November, of course, the perfect time to visit that town. I was there on a study trip and lived in a sweet little apartment we had rented from a young couple for a few days. The view was quite astonishing, with “The Gerkin” in full sight.

Anyways, I had promised to make a stew for some of my colleagues and myself, and now was out hunting for ingredients. So, I went to a grocery store on the main street of Camden Town. Which was actually just a few houses away from a pub that looked exactly like it came straight out of Terry Pratchett’s famous metropolis on the flattest of worlds (hello to all fans of the British grand master’s books out there!). Inside the grocery store, I looked for the colorful section displaying the local autumn harvest, and there they were: Looking amazing and smelling delicious. Of course, I had seen parsnips before, but somehow, those exemplars had always looked shriveled and … Around November is the perfect time not only for certain town visits, but also for buying parsnips, as I know now.

These days, I have not only intensified my knowledge about, but also my use of, parsnips. Those basic roots, so modest in their apparel of plain white and humble greens, can do it all: side dish, stews, sauces, and even cakes. So simple and unpretentious, yet somehow they seem to be the common root of all.

The square root of good food.

Side Notes

  • During that trip to London, I came across a little shop selling books, antiques, and old-style knickknacks. I needed something to read because I had somehow forgotten to throw a good book in my suitcase. When I entered, a lovely old lady was behind the counter. She gave me a mixture of a smile and an annoyed look. I must have looked like quite the touristy type. I asked her if, by any chance, she might have any books by Terry Pratchett in her collection. She turned to face me and answered with mild irritation: “We certainly do!” Just as if I had asked her if there were any bridges with towers in town.
  • You may find it challenging to distinguish between parsley roots and parsnips. Here are the pointers I always use: First, they smell different. Parsley roots have a much stronger smell with a hint of parsley. Parsnips smell milder. Parsnips can grow to be quite large, whereas parsley roots usually stay around the size of an average carrot. Finally, there is the top: Parsnips have a dark brownish circle on top. Parsley roots, on the other hand, are paler than parsnips overall, and their tops show a greenish circle, often with a hint of purple. If you’re unsure, ask at the farmers’ market; they’ll show you and explain. Now is the perfect time to do that.