But no. It's a white Belgium carrot. Suddenly I remembered: in the autumn I was unable to buy orange carrot seeds from the organic shop as I drove out to the bach. Instead, they sold me a packet of heritage seeds, gathered and preserved by the Koanga Gardens.
On reading the packet, I see that the green shoulders, rising above the ground, are a feature of these carrots, and don't mean that I planted them badly!
Heritage seeds are resilient, and this row of carrots has certainly sprung up quickly, and shows no sign of disease.
Originally a Dutch heirloom, they have been grown in New Zealand for a long time. The packet says they are 'at their best cooked, stunning for flavouring soups and stews.'
I grated this one (not having found the packet at that stage), and with a few lettuce leaves gathered from the garden, enjoyed its juicy flavour as part of my lunch.
4 comments:
Dutch? Never seen one in Holland. I thought is was a parsnip too. No parsnips in Holland either. All is orange in Holland
I buy red, orange and white baby carrots from the farmer's market Juliet. Yummy! Thank goodness for people who are saving our old seeds.
Marja, I was puzzled to read that it's a Dutch heritage plant when the name is actually Belgium Carrot. So maybe the Dutch part is a mistake.
Joan, nice to have you visit again! and red, orange and white baby carrots sound delicious and colourful. I'll have to check our local farmers' market for them. Thank you both for your comments.
We are just starting to see white carrots in our markets here, Juliet. I will have to try them. Your salad looks inviting with the lettuce and grated carrots. A new idea I will have to try. Thank you.
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