Rainbow carrots
I have noticed a recent trend towards rainbow carrots. They are being promoted as a ‘superfood,’ whatever that means.
I read that they were once found only at farmers’ markets and high-end greengroceries, at an appropriately inflated price. They are still more expensive than the usual carrot-coloured articles, but are now readily obtainable at most well-known superstores in the UK.
I bought some to try, but found the muddy colours quite off-putting, and not a feast for the eyes. It’s a good thing I wasn’t born five thousand years ago, when carrots in central Asia were usually purple, or even black or white. In Ancient Rome they were regarded as an herbal medicine and an aphrodisiac.
When carrots began to be more widely cultivated, in the Middle East, they were introduced to mediaeval Europe by Arab traders and were available in purple, red, yellow, and white. The carrots we now consider traditional only began to appear in the seventeenth century. The legend was that the Dutch farmers cultivated the orange variety to honour William of Orange who fought to free the Dutch from Spain. More prosaically, orange carrots were probably selectively bred as sweeter alternatives to the more bitter yellow carrots.
All carrots are beneficial. They are low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals, tasty, crunchy, and good for overall health.
I've never seen carrots of a different color. I guess the grocery stores where I shop aren't fancy enough.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I don;t think you're missing much. They seem to be 'fashionable' at present.
DeleteI am ignorant about carrots of any other colour than orange. I wonder how long I will remain deprived by seeing none. Not long, I will guess. I don't mind cooked carrot or raw grated carrot mixed with other things, but I don't find a raw carrot alone very appealing.
ReplyDeleteI prefer raw to cooked carrots. Sweet and crunchy!
DeleteI got them in my Misfits delivery, though I'd ordered the orange kind. The different colors taste different.
ReplyDeleteThey are supposed to have different qualities/benefits.
DeleteMulti coloured corn is also pretty but we only seem to see the yellow one which probably is bred to please same as orange carrots.
ReplyDeleteThelmax
I've never seen multi-coloured corn. I've just looked it up - Glass Gem corn .
DeleteThe Sam's Club here has them fresh in an assortment bag. The look kind of pretty when all cooked up with some butter, salt and pepper. I don't think they taste as much like carrots as the bigger plain orange ones do. I've seem restaurant serve them whole as an assortment. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteIt was probably the way I cooked them that made them less than attractive - like most of my cooking, really. 😳
DeleteWe have them in our local Tesco but too expensive for every day meals. We buy the (much cheaper) orange variety, but the rainbow carrots would be good to serve to guests I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI like raw carrots best. Perhaps I should try them again (probably won't!)
DeleteI do enjoy the taste, but for the past 2 years the seeds I have sown have not grown, so just orange ones here.
ReplyDeleteThey're 'heirloom' seeds, so probably more expensive, and it sounds as though they don't germinate readily.
DeleteCarrots are great, healthy and very versatile. As is so often the case, we have gotten used to a single "standard" carrot when there are actually a huge number of varieties.
ReplyDeleteWhen everything is standardised, there is a danger of subtlety vanishing.
DeleteI am on the list with all those who say they have never seen a carrot that wasn't orange. this is all news to me, and I do see why some of the colors would be off-putting to the eyes. we love carrots and will stick with orange for now..
ReplyDeleteHaving read that some commenters like the taste, I feel I should try again. On the other hand, I really like orange carrots, sweet and crunchy.
DeleteI tried some of the rainbow colored carrots this summer. I did not care for them either plus there was more than enough orange regular carrots mixed in that it was kind of comical. I'll stick with good old dark orange and I also love parsnips. Whether those are considered carrots or not I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteI think they are a bit of a fashion at present. We'll see how long the trend lasts.
Deletep.s: parsnips are not carrots, but I love them - very sweet.
DeleteI enjoy eating the colours of the rainbow ... so to speak :)
ReplyDeleteRainbow carrots are a hit with me!
All the best Jan
PS You can even get purple sprouting broccoli in season in January:-
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2020/01/some-foods-in-season-during-january.html
Have a good weekend.
I like purple sprouting broccoli. My favourite is tenderstem broccoli, which is a kale/broccoli hybrid.
DeleteI've never noticed other colored carrots in the stores here but then I don't pay much attention. I think I'll just stick with orange carrots though
ReplyDeleteThey're cheaper!
DeleteI can only abide carrots that are roasted until they are somewhat blackened because they then don’t taste much like carrot
ReplyDeletes.
DeleteThat's sacrilege!
DeleteOne of our local grocers carried Carrots of a Different Color and they're interesting; we've tried the purple ones, and they taste like purple carrots.
ReplyDeleteWhat does purple taste like? We're back in the realms of synaesthesia, I think.😉
DeleteThe purple carrot look most off putting to me, I think I prefer an orange carrot. Where would we be without carrots though - our dogs would miss their raw carrot snacks and I'd miss carrot cake!
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
Also good for clearing out your lugholes. Big carrots may be used like truncheons - battering the skulls of those who cross us.
ReplyDeleteNo, big carrots are for big dogs, little ones for guinea pigs.
DeleteI've never seen anything but orange carrots. I wonder what our locals would think of purple carrots
ReplyDeleteThey would be a topic of conversation!
DeleteI love carrots. One of my favorite vegetables. I agree about the colorful ones, though -- they're interesting for an occasional change but the orange ones are the best.
ReplyDeleteSelective breeding has improved our food immeasurably.
DeleteI've seen colored carrots in the store, but have never tried them.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you've missed much, but that's just my opinion. 😳
DeletePretty
ReplyDeleteThey do look attractive.
DeleteThe colours look lovely but I've yet to try any of the non-orange ones. That said, I have heard the William of Orange legend before. There might be some truth in it. xxx
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasing legend - good old William of Orange.
DeleteWe grew rainbow carrots and white carrots years ago. Nowadays, as we've paused gardening, we stick to orange carrots and don't pay the extra.
ReplyDeleteDo you miss them?
DeleteI adore carrots so I must admit I've fallen for this.
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteAn interesting tidbit about carrots.I do love them in my salad or just as a snack.
ReplyDeleteI like carrots in any guise, but particularly raw.
DeleteReally interesting post. Not something I've thought a lot about though lol. I do prefer raw carrots over cooked ones. I can eat them in things, but not by themselves.
ReplyDeleteI prefer raw, but like them cooked al dente.
DeleteParsnips belong to the turnip/swede family I htink. I prefer orange carrots and read somewhere in one of my "health" books that carrots are one of the few vegetables that are more beneficial to the body when cooked rather than eaten raw. I always cook mine anyway. I bought a pack of "heritage" seeds long ago and grew white, yellow and purple carrots and when I peeled them I was surprised to see the purple carrots were orange inside. I expected them to be purple.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting - you would expect them to be coloured throughout.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the seed packets for rainbow carrots. It might be fun for me to try growing them next year and see how multi coloured and varied they can be!
ReplyDeleteThey're known as 'heritage' now - I'm sure that adjective pushes up the price.
ReplyDelete