defensive chemical. Peeling the thin outer
layer removes most of the bitterness as well
as phenolic compounds that cause brown
discoloration. The sweetness is most
noticeable when the roots are cooked, which
weakens the strong cell walls and frees the
sugars to be tasted. The carrot core carries
water from the root to the leaves and has less
flavor than the outer storage layers.
Pre-peeled “baby” carrots, actually cut
from mature ones, often have a harmless
white fuzz on their surface due to damaged
outer cell layers that dehydrate within hours
of processing.
Parsnip Pastinaca sativa, along with its
aromatic taproot, is native to Eurasia, was
known to the Greeks and Romans, and like the
turnip was an important staple food before the
introduction of the potato. The version known
to us today was developed in the Middle Ages.
The parsnip accumulates more starch than the