Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
syrup they exude.) Spoon the pulp from the skin and beat it with a couple of tablespoons
of butter, a little salt and a grating of nutmeg.
Turnips and Rutabagas
W H E R E THEY'RE GROWN: Farmers in two different areas of the United
States grow turnips. Tops are farmed in the mid-South, primarily in North Carolina and
Georgia. Bottoms are grown in California. Illinois grows both tops and bottoms. Rutaba-
gas, which are a cross between turnips and a kind of cabbage, are too sparsely grown to
be tracked statistically.
H O W T O C H O O S E: Choose roots that are free from nicks and scars. Check
the top of each turnip or rutabaga, where the greens once were. As the roots sit, they will
continue to sprout new greens, which the produce manager will trim. The more the tops
have been trimmed, the older the root probably is. In Japanese markets you can find small
white turnips that have the tops attached. These are milder and sweeter than other turnips.
HOW T O STORE: Store turnips and rutabagas in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
H 0 W T 0 P R E P A R E: Turnips and rutabagas should be peeled, except for the
small Japanese varieties, which have such a thin skin.
