Sunday, March 25, 2012

Thank God There's The Internet

As I was posting about my carrot dilemma, I started to think either I was some kind of genius or completely insane.  They are so closely related, it's often hard to know the difference.

The whole reason I even noticed the neck of the carrot slightly sticking up in the pot was because I had just bought these the day before.  Something about the "parsley" top caught my eye and I brushed some dirt away and then was like "oh hell, it's not doing well anyway, I might as well pull it up!"


I bought them because while I have never eaten a parsnip, I have great plans to make parsnip chips.  This is all because of this little product here.  Not that I would ever put something like that in my microwave (all the poisons!) but I am going to master the art of making greaseless chips that taste excellent and are made from unusual vegetables this summer.  If it kills me.  Which, putting that thing in the microwave to make parsnip chips would do, according to my very scientific brain that has determined that all plastics will kill you when exposed to heat and therefore are not allowed in the dishwasher or the microwave.

Anyparsleyparsnip, after I pulled up my carrot booty, I realized that this packet of seeds might be telling me that the reason I had no idea that I was growing a carrot instead of parsley must mean they are in the same family.

Either that, or the packet was telling me that I was going to be growing hamburger.  And it would be ridiculous for me to grow hamburger.  I don't eat beef.  DUH.

So, I did some searching on the marvelous invention that has become the ultimate argument solver, the amazing clarifier of all confusions, the excellent justice server- the great and  all powerful INTERNET. 

Indeed, carrots, parsley, celery and more are in the same family called umbellioferae, so named for the flowers they produce.  Never seen flowers on any of these vegetables but eventually they do come, or we couldn't have seeds, right?

Here's a great link with a lot of things that are in this family and I believe it because I found the same information on other sites.

And while I was at it, I also verified my theory that Queen Anne's Lace (which grows widly abundant here- except the one week I needed them for my sister's wedding) is really just wild carrots.  TA-DA.  It is!  But wild and domesticated carrots are not the same thing and can't be substituted for each other.  But at least I wasn't crazy when I made that assumption eons ago!

So glad I'm not a complete moron and that the internet can prove me so.  Maybe I can put future farmer of America on my list of fall back careers after all.

3 comments:

  1. Now you've got me intrigued about parsnips. I've never had them before. We eat a lot of raw veggies and fruit. I think I'm going to look for some parsnips on my next trip to Whole Foods.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Who knew? Being a very challenged as any kind of gardener I am grateful for the information! I love the look of your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yay for the internet! And I love that you're trying to make non-greasy veggie chips :)

    ReplyDelete

I love comments almost as much as I love summer. I reply to all comments except those ridiculous anonymous comments offering me dirty deeds and real estate. When you leave your comment, please make sure your own settings will allow me to reply to you. Nothing makes me sadder than replying to your comments and then realizing it’s going to the no-reply@blogger address!