Florida Mountain Turnips

[Paul Bacino]

I'm excited to give these a try,  they just started shipping them Monday.

 

I was told by a friend these will be the best,  so I called  them

 

The average weight is 2 pounds,  they are grown in the mountains and not harvested till after 3 frosts to develop sweetness.

 

The owner says just boil or steam them -- mash and nothing else.  Good for a side dish for the holidays

 

Excited I am,  anyone ever had them?

 

Paul

[rotuts]

didnt even know there were Mountains in Florida, let alone three frosts 

 

 

love to see some pics and what you do with them.

[Paul Bacino]

RT

 

Here you go!!

 

http://www.berkshirefinearts.com/02-01-2012_legendary-florida-mountain-turnip.htm

[gfweb]

I'd fry 'em

[rotuts]

the extra sugar, after the 3 frosts, might be sticky.

[Maedl]

They look suspiciously like rutabagas!

[Deryn]

I am glad you are excited about trying them, Paul. And I too will be happy to read what you do with them - and how they compare to others you have had in the past.

And I would love to know how any other type of the same vegetable left in the ground for 3 frosts (I thought leaving them in the ground till after some frosts was quite a common thing though I am not sure if the exact frost count is the same) differs from this particular type being left in the ground for 3 frosts. What really makes this 'Florida Mountain Turnip' different or special? Can you buy some other 'turnips' (that look like this 'turnip') to test at the same time using whatever method you choose to cook them?

That said, I do not think they are turnips, despite what they are called. They do look like rutabagas, which was my point in my post above. I seriously thought this was a joke thread - my apologies.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Deryn (log)

[Paul Bacino]

Could be  a Rocky Mountain Oyster -- for all I know

 

This was the only link  - got

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Florida-Mountain-Turnip/162239563874652

 

Edited November 15, 2014 by Paul Bacino (log)

[andiesenji]

That's a rutabaga.  Specifically the Laurentian purple-top rutabaga.  I have grown them in the past and that "Florida, MA" designation is just a local designation to promote the root.

 

All rutabagas are good, much sweeter and less "sharp" than turnips. 

 

Also known as "Swedes" especially in the UK. 

 

They are absolutely delicious when cut into chunks - about 1 inch or so - and oven roasted - long and slow so they develop a creamy interior and a browned, slightly crisp outer surface. 

I combine them with potatoes, both white and sweet, carrots, celery and celery root, parsnips and onions and do the slow roast thing in large batches which can be portioned and frozen for later use as a side dish but also a wonderful addition to stews, soups and etc...

[Deryn]

Thank you, Andie. Well said. My experience and use for rutabagas exactly.

[Maedl]

"That's a rutabaga.  Specifically the Laurentian purple-top rutabaga.  I have grown them in the past and that "Florida, MA" designation is just a local designation to promote the root."

 

 

Yes! It really is a rutabaga--I just found this on Edible Berkshire’s website: "At 2,000 feet in elevation, Florida has a short growing season for most vegetables. But Florida Mountain Turnips, which come from a seed stock called Laurentian Purple Top Rutabagas, apparently embrace and thrive in the mountain climate. They should not be picked until after at least one frost, when the flesh becomes deep orange and sweet. The longer the turnip is in the cold ground, the better it tastes, so they are usually quite large when picked..

 

I asked a friend who spends a good deal of time in the Berkshires if she had heard of them--she had and said they are very good.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Maedl (log)

[Anna N]

Amazing marketing that has us chasing the lowly Rutabaga!

[andiesenji]

I looked up some of my old gardening notes and found that I planted the seeds in July - and mulched them in deep straw in late October to mid November as we have a very long growing season and rarely get hard frosts until late November.  (Did the same with carrots, parsnips and celery root - and the ginger).

I began harvesting them in December and left some in the ground until early March when the remainder were dug up.  I cleaned them and stored them in my produce fridge (50 degrees) and they kept well for 6-8 weeks.

[Maedl]

Amazing marketing that has us chasing the lowly Rutabaga!

I suppose it is similar to the EU's use of DOC and DOP labeling to denote wines or foods that are produced according to traditional practice in a specific, defined location. DOC labeling is also a way to be sure you get what you pay for.

The Florida Mountain turnip promo is definitely a marketing tool, but are these rutabagas truly different from rutabagas grown in Wisconsin? I would have to try these turnip/rutabagas and see how they compare to what I have already eaten before I could say whether I think the promotion goes beyond pure marketing. Hmmm, maybe I will ask my friend who goes to the Berkshires frequently to pick up a couple for me on her next trip . . . .

[CatPoet]

We make  mash with carrot, swede, potato and   reduced  pork broth  which is heaven for  boiled ham hock.

[Maedl]

My mother used to brown a piece of pork and the slow cook it with onions, garlic, rutabagas, potatoes, and carrots. It was a meal for the days when my mother would get home late from teaching--the pot would be cooked and ready for serving by dinner time. It was never one of my favorite meals, but it was not all that bad!