Treekeeper Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Can someone settle an argument? What is the difference between turnips and swedes and what colour are they both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Turnip Swede Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 It mainly depend if you are English or Scottish I can do both so bear with me for a moment Scotland A turnip is large with yellowish flesh and is sometime also called neeps and the outside is Yellow/pink A swede is small with white flesh and the outside is white/purple England Just to be awkward the English like it the other way round A turnip is small with white flesh and the outside is white/purple A swede is large with yellowish flesh with the outside yellow/pink and is only fit for animal feed Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 How 'bout this? Can't take credit for it - pinched it off a website (obviously too much time on my hands ). Still not sure it explains it . Turnips and swedes are both members of the cabbage family and are closely related to each other - so close that it is not surprising that their names are often confused. For instance, swedes are sometimes called Swedish turnips or swede-turnips and in Scotland, where they are thought of as turnips, they are called neeps. Nowadays, the confusion is not so acute. Many greengrocers and supermarkets sell early or baby turnips or, better still, French turnips - navets. Both are small and white, tinged either with green or in the case of navets, with pink or purple. Consequently, people are learning to tell their swedes from their turnips and also discovering what a delicious vegetable the turnip is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 When we first moved down south my mother went into a greengrocers for a turnip for soup making and was most confused to be handed a swede and all the years I was down there they were always the wrong way round Now I am back home everything in the vegetable garden is as it should be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Turnips are big enough to be turned into tumshie lanterns at Halloween, swedes aren't...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 OH (Scottish) and I (English/German mongrel) still argue about this!! He doesn't believe that there is a difference between turnips and swedes. I refuse to buy them now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 As a child I used swedes to make halloween lanterns! Hated them - they took forever to carve and I always ended up with blistered fingers! Swedes are definitely big and yellow, turnips are little and white with purple or green tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 both are good for soup, mash or stew, but otherhwise yuck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Swedes are the big yellow ones with maroon and yellow skin turnips are small white fleshed with either green/purple tinged skin in my world. Both are really delicious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Thank you Snowy!!! Swedes are white according to OH. (Must be something in the water up there) *runs and hides* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Of course there's a difference! Slap him for me Hon I love parsnips, swedes are vile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Swedes are white according to OH. (Must be something in the water up there) *runs and hides* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 The other way round for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I love parsnips, swedes are vile. other way around for me....parsnips are Swede nothing nicer all mushed up with black pepper and butter! yum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I love parsnips, swedes are vile. other way around for me....parsnips are Swede nothing nicer all mushed up with black pepper and butter! yum No no no, you have it all wrong. Parsnips and swedes are lovely, turnips are nasty, bitter little things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Both together, with carrots and sweet potatoes, tons of butter, salt and pepper mashed together. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I love parsnips, swedes are vile. other way around for me....parsnips are Swede nothing nicer all mushed up with black pepper and butter! yum No no no, you have it all wrong. Parsnips and swedes are lovely, turnips are nasty, bitter little things Parsnips bring back scary memories for me. My mum used to roast them and disguise them in with the roast potaotes....you'd then bite into one thinking it was a spud but it was an orrible sweet parsnip! yuk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 at Chelsea! That's what my son says 'it's not fair, I can't tell which are potatoes and which are parsnips!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I love parsnips, swedes are vile. Yep! same for me. I can't see the point of turnips, nasty, tasteless evil little veggies. In the US they are considered only fit for animal feed and are called rutabaga (spelling?) Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I love parsnips, swedes are vile. other way around for me....parsnips are Swede nothing nicer all mushed up with black pepper and butter! yum It takes all sorts ! I like both personally!! Parsnips are lovely roasted, Turnips are nice in soup and Swede is lovely mashed with butter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Turnips are big enough to be turned into tumshie lanterns at Halloween, swedes aren't...... Oop North, swedes are big and a bit orangey around the edges and turnips are smaller and purpley. I like mashed swede and carrot. Can't abide turnips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I can't see the point of turnips, nasty, tastelessevil little veggies. In the US they are considered only fit for animal feed and are called rutabaga (spelling?) Tessa STOP! I always believed rutabaga was swede (that's the large, yellow variety) not turnip (the small white ones). Now I'm really confused! Turnips can be bitter - parboil them, and then caramelise them with a bit of butter and sugar - yum. However mashed swede (pref. with a carrot or two thrown in, and black pepper and butter) is the food of angels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Wow, this thread is a bit of an eye opener, being English I never realised that there was any confusion as to which were swedes and which were turnips. Swedes (as far as I'm concerned) are big and round with an orangey flesh, and absolutely delicious mashed up with loads of butter and a little grating of nutmeg. Turnips are small and white with the purpley bit, and I'm less keen on them, but great in stews and casseroles, and bearable if mashed. How strange that in Scotland they're the other way round . BTW, parsnips are pretty bloomin' gorgeous, my favourite vegetable, best of all roasted, but fabulous mashed, or cut up thin and quickly fried (like crisps). I love parsnips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Swedes to me are the orangey fleshed ones that I serve mashed with carrots and butter and a little seasoning - divine Turnips are hard bitter white things that are vile and only bearable in a soup with loads of other veggies. Parsnips are a fave - cut into large wedges, placed in a baking dish with 2 tbsp honey and 15ml of water, basted occasionally and serve Also good with Duchess Potatoes YUM! or Dauphinoise Potatoes I'm off now, Hungry.... A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
