Rutabaga/swede

Post by **Geraldine** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:02 pm

Has anyone bought this in Egypt, if so - where did you find it? I don't mean turnip. Just wondering if there are any changes to find it.

http://www.dlc.fi/~marianna/gourmet/i_r ... m#rutabaga

Post by **BBLUX** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:09 pm

Is there any significance that is also called swede (we know it by that name) Do the Finnish people not like the Swedish. Just a silly thought. Ignore me

Post by **Goddess** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:10 pm

Now I am confused! I always thought we couldn't get Swedes here - it was only turnips - but the turnip on that page doesn't look anything like the turnips I've seen here - looked more like the Swede! With either a greenish ring around the top - and sometimes purple - or are these two different things and I am actually seeing Swedes and Turnips?!

Sorry not much help there Geraldine - but if it makes you feel any better I have now learned what that mystery vegetable was that I always thought was a Horseradish - it's a Daikon (white radish) which leads me now to have to go and look up horse radish!

Post by **Phantom** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:15 pm

Welcome to my world, in Cornwall they call swedes turnips

Post by **HEPZIBAH** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:28 pm

A rough guide -

Turnip - often smaller than swede, sort of like a ball that has been squashed from top to bottom in shape, and has white flesh white 'flesh'.

Rutebage - from memory similar to Turnip.

Swede - can be roundish or rooty at the bottom with a global top, yellow 'flesh'.

Daikon (white radish) - longer in shape, often used in Japanese cookery

[face=Comic Sans MS]Edit - I've just looked at the article as linked and now wondering what I've been eating all my life!

I am sure that Swede and Rutebaga are very different vegetable. Will now have to do some looking into this.[/face]

Post by **Goddess** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:05 pm

HEPZIBAH wrote:
[face=Comic Sans MS]Edit - I've just looked at the article as linked and now wondering what I've been eating all my life! I am sure that Swede and Rutebaga are very different vegetable. Will now have to do some looking into this.[/face]

That's what I thought too!
I'm still none the wiser about horse radish either!

Edit:
Who'd have thought there was a council for Horse Radish!
http://www.horseradish.org/

Post by **Goddess** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:15 pm

Hmm! So now neither of my likely suspects in Egypt look like the horseradish pictures I've found.

So what on earth is a figl? Because I always had that pinned as a likely horseradish suspect?

Post by **HEPZIBAH** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:18 pm

Goddess wrote: So what on earth is a figl?

[face=Comic Sans MS]Figl?????? I've never heard of that before. [/face]

Post by **Smitch** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:23 pm

As far as I know, rutabaga is the American word for Swede, which is known in the North and Scotland as a turnip. I think the name for the veg is actually Swedish Turnip hence the two names! Facsinating stuff hey!!!

Post by **Geraldine** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:28 pm

I have this now at home (the second pic) for testing if I can't find rutabaga
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/v ... urnip1.htm

It is white inside and tastes more like the turnip we have in Finland (smaller than rutabaga and is also light yellow inside). But this Egyptian (?) turnip is quite mild in taste. Rutabaga/swede is quite hard whereas turnip is softer. Turnips are smaller than rutabagas.

To me swedes and rutabagas seem to be the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutabaga

Post by **Goddess** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:30 pm

HEPZIBAH wrote:
Goddess wrote: So what on earth is a figl?
[face=Comic Sans MS]Figl?????? I've never heard of that before. [/face]

A figl is the arabic name for a white root that looks a bit like a thin carrot. Normally sold with leaves sprouting out the top. I always thought that was a horseradish, and the Daikon thing was a Chinese radish. Maybe a figl is just a little Daikon?!?! Who knows!?!?!

Post by **HEPZIBAH** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:31 pm

Smitch wrote:As far as I know, rutabaga is the American word for Swede,

[face=Arial] I know that many years ago I cooked a winters meal with included a platter of 3 mash, this was turnip, swede and rutebaga. It was the first time I had ever seen or heard of rutabaga, let alone used it, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. So I am sure they are 3 different root vegetables with different colour and slightly different texture.[/face]

Post by **Goddess** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:33 pm

Phew! Geraldines latest turnip pictures look just like I thought turnips should look like with that purple bit at the top.
I'm sure I've seen then with a green ring around the top too wonder if they are one and the same? Might have to have a bit of a turnip testing myself!

And thanks Smitch - as if I wasn't confused enough!?!?!

Post by **Wills** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:20 pm

Turnip up here love it. yum yum with haggis and tatties.

:P:P

Post by **BBLUX** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:35 pm

So that would be neeps then Wills?

Post by **Glyphdoctor** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:04 pm

figl is a type of radish. Definitely not horseradish, which I don't think you could just bite into and eat whole. I don't know what your radishes are like in the UK, but in the US they are red on the outside and round and more mild than the Egyptian figl.

Post by **HEPZIBAH** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:49 pm

Glyphdoctor wrote: I don't know what your radishes are like in the UK, but in the US they are red on the outside and round and more mild than the Egyptian figl.

[face=Comic Sans MS]Yes, radish in the UK is generally small and round or small an bullet shaped, pinkish red with some white on the outside and white on the inside. It can get quite 'woody' if it grows too large. Has a 'peppery' flavour.[/face]

Post by **PRchick** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:28 am

HEPZIBAH wrote:
Smitch wrote:As far as I know, rutabaga is the American word for Swede,
[face=Arial] I know that many years ago I cooked a winters meal with included a platter of 3 mash, this was turnip, swede and rutebaga. It was the first time I had ever seen or heard of rutabaga, let alone used it, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. So I am sure they are 3 different root vegetables with different colour and slightly different texture.[/face]

Yes we have rutabagas. Never heard of "swedes" except the people.

We eat turnip greens in the south by the truckload. Turnips themselves, not so much. I like them but don't make them.

Post by **Miriamkhalifa** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:19 pm

I have heard, Geraldine, that we nordic people are the only ones to eat this greenery, in norwegian called kÃ¥lrot. (Coleroot) In other parts of the world they use it as food for animals.

Post by **Miriamkhalifa** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:20 pm

No christmas without salty sheeps meat and mashed kÃ¥lrot. Mashed swedes??