And what are it's cultural requirements? Is it easy to grow? Any salsifinos among us?

I'm thinking of trying it this year.

-nita

My MIL grows salsifies and we get to have them once a year at Christmas dinner. My DH's family is from Belgium and they are very popular there. They are deeeelicious!!!! They taste like nothing else I can think of. Very mild flavor. She puts them in a cream sauce flavored with lemon juice. Let's just say there are never any left in the bowl!

From what she's told me, they are a bit of a pain to prepare. I think the growing requirements are very similar to carrots. The kind she grows are white with a black skin. They are pitted, so it's a lot of work to get all the peel off and have anything left to cook! That said, she grows them every year, so I have to assume they are worth the trouble. I may try my hand at them next year. Good luck with them if you decide to try to grow them!

I seem to remember dad growing them one year when I was in high school. I just remember them being skinnier than parsnips and tasting like dirt. I'm sure flavor varies according to preparation techniques. I think that like turnips, you either like the flavor or hate it.

Thanks folks - I'll have to look up recipes later. I figured they'd need a loose and deep soil like any other root crops.

If I give it a try I'll post my results next winter. Apparently they need a long growing season.

-nita

Buffie: I have never had them, but I have read descriptions of them being supposedly "oyster-like" in taste. Does that even come close to what you were describing?

I remember reading an interview with Jere Gettle (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) and he described them as an old-world crop, much more popular around the turn of the 20th century. He felt this crop should be grown more often!

Well, Walleye - I'm not much help as I've never been able to bring myself to eat an oyster! I can say this though....they do seem to have a very 'earthy' flavor the way mushrooms do. I'm not a big vegetable lover - my tastes lean towards the plain and ordinary. And I love salsifies. To be honest, I've never eaten them steamed with minimal seasoning (which would bring out the true flavor I'm guessing) - only with my MIL's cream sauce. Apparently that's the way it's served in their home country.

All I really know about them is that you grow them like carrots, peel them like carrots, although I think the skin is a little thicker than the skin on a carrot. They are white with black skins (but I think I remember reading that there are different varieties that are different colors too). I definitely think you should give them a try. For the price of a package of seeds you can have something different on the table for Christmas dinner!! If you're interested in more growing and harvesting details, let me know and I'll ask my MIL. She's in her 70's and has grown them all her life.