parsnip

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Parsnip
Parsnips
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae
Genus:	Pastinaca
Species:	P. sativa
Binomial name
Pastinaca sativa L.[1]

The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot. Parsnips resemble carrots, but are paler in colour than most carrots, and have a sweeter taste, especially when cooked.^[2] The buttery, slightly spicy, sweet flavor of cooked mature parsnips (often picked after the first frost) is reminiscent of butterscotch, honey, and subtle cardamom. Like carrots, parsnips are native to Eurasia and have been eaten there since ancient times. Zohary and Hopf note that the archeological evidence for the cultivation of the parsnip is "still rather limited", and that Greek and Roman literary sources are a major source about its early use, but warn "there are some difficulties in distinguishing between parsnip and carrot (which, in Roman times, were white or purple) in classical writings since both vegetables seem to have been sometimes called pastinaca yet each vegetable appears to be well under cultivation in Roman times."^[3] As pastinache comuni the "common" pastinaca figures in the long list of comestibles enjoyed by the Milanese given by Bonvesin de la Riva in his "Marvels of Milan" (1288).^[4]

Uses

While parsnips can be eaten raw, they are more commonly served cooked. Parsnips can be boiled, roasted or used in stews, soups and casseroles. In some cases, the parsnip is boiled and the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, leaving behind a more subtle flavor than the whole root and contributing starch to thicken the dish. Roasted parsnip is considered an essential part of Christmas dinner in some parts of the English-speaking world and frequently features in the traditional Sunday Roast. Parsnips can also be fried or thinly sliced and made into crisps.

The parsnip originated in the Mediterranean region and originally was the size of a baby carrot when fully grown. When the Roman Empire expanded north through Europe, the Romans brought the parsnip with them. They found that parsnips grew bigger the farther north they went.^{[citation needed]}

Etymology

While folk etymology sometimes assumes the name is a portmanteau of parsley and turnip, it actually comes from Middle English pasnepe, alteration (influenced by nep, turnip) of Old French pasnaie (now panais) from Latin pastinum, a kind of fork, whose ending was changed to -nip by analogy with turnip because it was assumed to be a kind of turnip. It is among the closest relatives of parsley, which can be bred to develop a very parsnip-like root.

Cultivation

Parsnips are considered winter vegetables, since low soil temperatures are necessary to develop their flavor.^[5] They are a favorite with gardeners in areas with short growing seasons. Sandy, loamy soil is preferred; silty, clayey, and rocky soils are unsuitable as they produce short, forked roots.

Seeds can be planted in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked. Harvesting can begin in late fall after the first frost, and continue through winter until the ground freezes over. More than almost any other vegetable seed, parsnip seed significantly deteriorates in viability if stored for long, so it is advisable to use fresh seed each year.

In Roman times, parsnips were believed to be an aphrodisiac.^{[citation needed]}

In the United States, this plant was introduced by British colonists as a root vegetable. In the mid-19th century, it was replaced by the potato and consequently escaped from cultivation. New cultivars continued to be developed and disseminated, including the 'Student' cultivar, developed by James Buckman.

Parsnip is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including its namesake, the parsnip swallowtail and also the common swift, garden dart, and ghost moth.

Dangers

While the root of the parsnip is edible, the handling of its shoots and leaves requires protective clothing. Like many other members of the Apiaceae family, the parsnip contains furanocoumarin, a photosensitive chemical that causes a condition known as phytophotodermatitis.^[6] The condition is a type of chemical burn rather than an allergic reaction and should be treated as such. Symptoms include redness, burning, tingling, and blisters (often in the shape of the streak where the plant juices brushed against the body) within 24–48 hours of exposure.^[7]

When gardening parsnips, gloves and long sleeves are advised. If bare skin does come into contact with the upper part of a parsnip plant, the area should be washed immediately and kept out of sunlight. A cool, indoor area is best as a retreat, as sweat can aid in the absorption of the toxin, and sunlight activates its deleterious effects. Should a rash appear, the area may be treated similar to a burn and a physician or pharmacist ought to be consulted.^[8]

Today, most jurisdictions have wild parsnip on their list of noxious weeds or invasive species for this reason.^[9]

Nutritional properties

Parsnips

The parsnip is richer in vitamins and minerals than its close relative, the carrot. It is particularly rich in potassium with 600 mg per 100 g. The parsnip is also a good source of dietary fiber. 100 g of parsnip contains 75 Calories (230 kJ) of energy.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "Pastinaca sativa information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?27018. Retrieved 2008-03-02. 
2. ^ Alleman, Gayle Povis; Webb, Denise and Smith, Susan Male. "Parsnips: Natural Weight-Loss Foods". Discovery Health. Publications International. http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-parsnips-ga.htm. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
3. ^ Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, Domestication of plants in the Old World, third edition (Oxford: University Press, 2000), p. 203
4. ^ Noted by John Dickie, Delizia! The Epic History of Italians and Their Food (New York, 2008), p. 38 (where they are identified as parsnips).
5. ^ http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/parsnip.cfm
6. ^ "Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)", Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/parsnip.htm
7. ^ http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/9/10/1195
8. ^ http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/9/10/1195
9. ^ "Weed watch: Wild parsnip and poison hemlock", Kristine Schaefer http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2007/7-9/poison.html

• Dr D.G. Hessayon (2003) The Vegetable & Herb Expert. Expert Books. ISBN 0-903505-46-0
• Dr. Mary Robson (1999) Poison Hemlock : Dangerous to People and Animals". Washington State University Online Directory
• Adam Hart-Davis (2001) What did the Romans do for us?. BBC TV

External links

Look up parsnip in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pastinaca sativa

General

• Pastinaca sativa profile on the USDA plants database
• Pastinaca sativa profile on missouriplants.com
• Pastinaca sativa List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's)
• "Gardener covered in sores after brushing against vegetable leaves" on the UK Mail Online
•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Parsnip". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Recipes

• Recipes with parsnips at the Open Directory Project
• Parsnip Recipes
• Parsnip Recipe Index
• Recipes and cooking instructions
• "Lu's Recipe Extravaganza, Pondering Parsnips?"
• Curried Parsnip soup
• Fried parsnips
• Candied Parsnips