Post Punk Kitchen Forum

If I were in England, I would call it swede (as my ex-pat Brit mother did), but here in the US of A, I would call it a turnip. But by whatever name 'tis clept, it tastes of sadness, disappointment, and broken dreams.

I suppose I'd call it a turnip. Or "that vile thing that biker boy tried to feed me last weekend."

It was called a swede in the fruit & veg shop I worked in when I was 13 but my parents always called it a turnip.

I would like to call it a neep, but I'm afraid it'll always be a turnip to me.

"sadness, disappointment, and broken dreams" will also be accepted as a write-in vote, by the way. Even though Desdemona is clearly aff her bonce on too many cocktails. And just generally wrong.

Someone should sig this.

That's a rutabaga. This is a turnip.

Didn't Mario use turnips as a weapon?

Bite me. And my turnip.

As usual, CQ is the voice of wisdom and reason. Rutabagas are bigger and yellow inside. Turnips are smaller and white inside. While they have similar flavors (not of sadness!!!), rutabagas are sweeter and denser, turnips are sharper and more watery. Both are nice, but I like turnips better.

I didn't know the difference before we had our CSA this summer, but my totally expert opinion is that it's a rutabaga.

Yarrrr, rutabaga it be. I prefer turnips. I think.

Huh, I had no idea there was actually a difference between turnip and rutabaga! When I was a grocery store cashier, that vegetable was listed as a turnip on our code sheet but came up as rutabaga on our receipts, so I thought they were different names for the same thing. PPK, you are so informative.

Looks like what my grandfather's family used to grow, and they called them turnips. But they also grew asparagus and called it asparagrass.

I have one of those in my CSA this week and I'm excited. I LOVE me some rutabaga! Turnips are good too, but I like rutabaga better.

It's a rutabaga/swede, but as a swede myself I thought I'd tell you the Swedish name: Kålrot.

Yes. American English = rutabaga, British English = swede (from Swedish turnip). This is actually a crossing (can you say that in English?) between turnip and cabbage. On the other hand neeps and totally sweet tatties, brah (ha! Nice filter) are made with swedes just to confuse things further. And if we're playing the language game I can also tell you that the Finnish word is lanttu and I believe the German word is Kohlrübe (German PPKers feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

Nooooooo, what you are linking to there is a swede, silly!

that is a rutebega! i love rutebega!

peel outer "skin" and you should see a beautiful creamy yellowy orange color. i dice it up fairly small, throw in a pot of water, bring to a boil, and then boil (but not super raid but not a simmer either) for about 45 minutes to get it soft. i mash it like mash potatoes and stir in some vegan butter, salt, and sugar. yum!

No no no no no. Well, a wee bit yes. I knew rutabaga was American't parlance, but it is English English that says swede! And, according to the sage that is wikipedia Neeps are turnips and of what is pictured up there!
"Brassica napobrassica has many national and regional names used globally. Rutabaga is the common American and Canadian term for the plant. It comes from the old Swedish word Rotabagge, meaning simply "root ram". In the U.S., the plant is also known as "Swedish turnip" or "yellow turnip". The term "Swede" is used instead of rutabaga in many Commonwealth Nations, including England, Wales, Australia, and New Zealand. The name turnip is also used in parts of Northern and Midland England, the Westcountry, particularly Cornwall, Ireland, Ontario and Atlantic Canada. In Scots, it is known as "turnip," "tumshie" or "neep" (from Old English næp, Latin napus).[2] The term "turnip" is also utilized in southern English usage.[where?][2][3] Some will also refer to both types as just "turnip" (the word is also derived from næp).[who?][3] In North-East England, turnips and swedes are colloquially called "snadgers" or "snaggers" (archaic)."

Further, whenever I hear (well, read) the word 'rutabaga', I can't help but get this in my head:
"how 'bout rutabagas?!"

I only voted turnip because I don't know what any of those other things are. I've heard the word rutabaga before though.

My mother never served turnips when I was growing up, because she hated them. I don't think I have ever tasted a turnip.

well, this would explain why i answered swede, thinking everyone was talking crazy with the rutabagagobbledygook.