Live and learn (4)
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Polygon a few weeks ago gave me ‘skirret,’ which is a lovely word in its own right. It sounds as though it should be something to do with cooking, like a skillet.
In fact, skirret, or Sium sisarum is a root vegetable belonging to the same family as carrots and parsnips. The name comes from the Middle English ‘skirwhit’ or ’skirwort’ which means ‘white root.’
The Scots call it ‘crummock,’ while the Danes know it as ‘sukkerrod.’ In Dutch it is called ‘suikerwortel’ and its German name is ‘Zuckerwurzel,’ which means sugar root.
It develops a mass of bright white roots which are best harvested during the winter, before the plant is active. If left until spring, the roots may become woody, more fibrous and covered in hairs. Skirret is prepared and cooked in a similar fashion to other root plants, or it can be grated and eaten raw in salad.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
It was a popular vegetable before potatoes became available to Britain in the late 16th century. However, although it is easy to cultivate, it doesn’t keep well, and is of unpredictable size and quality. In addition, it is awkward to clean. It can be grown as an ornamental plant, producing clusters of small white flowers in the summer.
How interesting! Those flowers are really pretty
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty, aren't they?
DeleteThat looks like wild carrot. I wonder if they're related?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they are.
DeleteThey look like hard work for a small serve of food. Perhaps they could be commercially prepared like frozen beans.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought. I don't know if there'd be a market for them, though.
DeleteDon't know this vegetable-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI didn't, either.
DeleteI learn something new every time I visit your blog!
ReplyDeleteAre you tempted by Skirret Pie? 😉
DeleteSkirret is a wonderful word. I'm thinking of all sorts of ways to use it, and none of them have anything to do with the real meaning. .
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I love the word - it lends itself to a poem, I think. Not so keen on the idea of the vegetable, though.
DeleteMy learn something new fact for the day. That has to be an old, old recipe. I bet it was delicious. Yeah, I can see they would be hard to clean. Like baby carrots before you can peel them.
ReplyDeleteQuite a rich recipe, but then, in the early 19th century, working people needed good, hearty food. with lots of calories.
DeleteInteresting, but not something I would bother with. Maybe we don't even have them in Australia.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not. You have carrots and parsnips, do you?
DeleteHmmm....upon first encounter with the word "skirret," what came to mind was a combination of the verb forms of "squirrel" and "secret." My next thought was how would one harvest a root vegetable in winter in Nod??
ReplyDelete'First boil your pan of water, then pour over soil to thaw and loosen . . .'
DeleteNever heard of it. I am assuming it is either no that easy to harvest or that tasty to eat otherwise it would be more available. Really interesting post.
ReplyDeletePotatoes took over in a big way, being of a more reliable size and quality, and easier to prepare. I'm sure there are some stalwart souls who forage for such things.
DeleteThis is the first ever that I have come across the term "Zuckerwurzel". As you say, live and learn! The pretty white flowers look familiar, though.
ReplyDeleteTHere are so many wild flowers with umbels of white flowers, and so pretty.
DeleteAwkward to clean? Looking at that I should say that's an understatement!
ReplyDeleteI just know that I wouldn't even bother . . .
DeleteThat pie sounds like a full on heart attack recipe with all that sugar and fat.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a good meal for a labourer on a cold day.
DeleteNever heard of it, sugar and fat was the staple of wealth on a rich persons dining table.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, and puts the lie to my comments above.
DeleteI have never heard of it, so I expect that you will be making a pie and inviting us all over for lunch!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'll be attempting this dish any time soon . . .
DeleteVery interesting. I have never heard of this.
ReplyDeleteNeither had I.
DeleteI heard of Zuckerwurzel, but have never eaten it. The recipe doesn't inspire me either ! There are so many old vegetables my grandma used to cook like Kohlrabi, it's the same in English ! I prefer the old recipes from Ricks grandma ! (lol)
ReplyDeleteNorthern European food tends to the stodgy, I think, rather than the lighter dishes of Southern Europe.
DeleteNever heard of it and probably never will again.
ReplyDeleteYou never know, it might suddenly become wildly popular. Unlikely, of course.
DeleteI loved learning this! We have some beautiful native flowers here that you have reminded me about. Sandwort and spiderwort. I was pleased to learn that "wort" meant root in Middle English! (I think it said here in Old English but you know, Americans just must call anything "old") Anything, I would love to try this "wort", skirrit! Our sandwort has pretty white flowers! I used to call them joyflowers before I identified them.
ReplyDeleteJoyflowers is such a lovely name!
DeleteI'll stick with potatoes and admiring the skirret flowers!
ReplyDeleteProbably wise!
DeleteI never heard of skirrit, but those flowers look like Queen Anne's Lace
ReplyDeleteThey do, though perhaps not quite so dense.
DeleteIf you get a chance, read my reply to you on my blog! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have. Thank you, Kay.
Deletethis is a new one for me. sounds good and a bit on the healthy side. always great to learn new things.
ReplyDeleteProbably healthier without all the cream and butter . . .
DeleteI have never in my life heard of "skirrets." The plant looks like a lot of similar wild plants that I already get confused, everything from hogweed to cow parsley to wild carrot to hemlock!
ReplyDeleteLikewise!
ReplyDeleteI will not lose any sleep over the fact that I have never eaten skirret. However, it is interesting that before the 16th century it was used as a belly filler - like the carbohydrates we are all so familiar with these days.
ReplyDeleteWhole carbohydrates are essential, the cream, sugar, fat, salt, added to them are not.
DeleteNever heard of it.
ReplyDeleteNeither had I.
DeleteNot heard of this before now!
ReplyDeleteA very interesting read and how lovely that you found a recipe dating back to 1820.
All the best Jan
The internet is a great source!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of this vegetable before. This is fun to learn about!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's in the top echelons of 'food to grow.'
ReplyDelete