Parsnips are a creamy white-skinned vegetable with a leafy green top that is steeped in a rich history. Parsnips have been cultivated since Roman antiquity, with the Emperor Tiberius documented to have brought parsnips to Rome from France and Germany, where they grew along the banks of the Rhine River.

Parsnips are a root vegetable in the Umbelliferae family that includes favorites like carrots, chervil, parsley, fennel, and celery. Parsnips are also an excellent form of nutrition. The average 9″ parsnip is about 130 calories, contains no saturated fat, no cholesterol, and is rich in fiber, folate, calcium, potassium, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, iron, and zinc.

Parsnips have a wide range of uses, in Ireland parsnips are used to make beer and wine. During World War II, parsnips were used to make mock bananas. Parsnips were crushed and mixed with banana essence to curb the desire for bananas during the war.

Some people believe that parsnips are an aphrodisiac or even a panacea for relieving toothaches or tired feet. In Italy parsnips are used to feed pigs in Parma, these pigs are then made into delicious Parma Ham.

Parsnips grow wild, but are more common on commercial farms. Commercial growers have found that when parsnips are harvested and stored for two weeks at temperatures ranging from 32° to 34°F, the starches in the parsnips will begin to convert to sugars. Watch out for wild parsnips, as you can actually trap them on the water hemlock. The water hemlock looks similar to the parsnip, but it is poisonous.

When buying parsnips, look for ones that are firm, small to medium in size; if the parsnip is too large, it will have a woody center. Parsnips can be kept raw in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks in the crisper or in a vented plastic bag. After cooking, parsnips can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Parsnips can be prepared in a wide variety of ways. Parsnips can be:

or steamed

Boiled

or Stew

or Sauteed

or roast

or Y converted to chips