turnip v. rutabaga - what do you call it?

[danieljdwyer]

I know that the word rutabaga is the correct term for what I have always called a turnip - a fairly large root vegetable with yellow flesh, a dark purple and tan exterior, which is usually sold waxed in the mid to late fall and is a traditional staple of the New England root cellar.
I know that a turnip is smaller, has white flesh, usually has a light purple and white exterior, which is harvested in the spring and summer and eaten fresh.
Now, my problem is, I have never actually heard anyone call a rutabaga a rutabaga. I've also only very rarely ever encountered actual turnips. So, I'm very curious about the regionality of these two terms. Where do people use turnip for turnips and rutabaga for rutabagas?
I'm fairly confident that, in New England, turnip nearly always means rutabaga. I have never seen either vegetable elsewhere in the US. In other English speaking countries, I've heard turnip used to mean rutabaga (Ireland) or swede used to mean rutabaga (England), but haven't seen real turnips or heard them called anything. In non-English speaking countries, I have only ever heard completely unrelated words used for these two vegetables - though in Spain, nabo is supposed to mean turnip but is actually used for rutabaga.
So, I'd like to know three things:
1. Where are you from?
2. Are turnips and rutabagas commonly eaten there?
3. What do they call these two vegetables?

[sr44]

1. Cape Cod
2. Eastham turnip, never rutabaga
3. Eastham turnip and expletive deleted. I have since learned rutabagas are delicious in their own right.

[SusanWF]

1. Born and raised in No. California.
2. Turnips and rutabagas are commonly eaten here. In fact, I bought both yesterday, along with parsnips, potatoes, and carrots, to make a beef stew. They are distinctly different in both appearance and taste. I love them both!
3. Turnips are called turnips and rutabagas are called rutabagas. I do remember rutabagas being called swedes while living in Ireland. But then, they called zucchini, courgettes!

[Clyburne]

1. Nova Scotia.
2. Rutabaga (Everyone here calls them Turnips, I just recently heard the name Rutabaga) are used more then what we call White Turnips(Turnip)
3. Turnips=Rutabaga, and White Turnip=Turnip

[kubasd]

1. CT
2. yes
3. turnips = turnips, rutabagas = yellow turnips.... and my grandmother in law asks for turnips every thanksgiving meaning rutabagas..... and when she eats her fill we throw the rest out

[crazybaker]

1. Ohio
2. We eat both
3. Turnips are turnips and rutabagas are rutabagas
In my area, turnips are sold almost all year round in my grocery store. Most of us don't buy them here because we grow turnips in the veggie garden. Rutabagas make their appearance in October and only last for about 2 months. My family rarely ate turnips, but we LOVE rutabagas! I make both, but I like rutabagas better. I peeland cube them, which is not easy. Then they are boiled, drained and mashed with butter and pepper. YUMMY!!!

[bluegill]

1. New York, Westchester County
2. yes to rutabega...rarely see turnips
3. Turnip=Rutabega, frankly, I never knew "real" turnips existed or what they looked like and never ate one. Just went along with what mom and grandma called them. When shopping last night, rutabega was labeled turnip, like that in all stores I go to.

[DockPotato]

This is in response to other posts citing a Celtic connection.

Let's introduce 2 other names for fun and confusion given previous comments. My wife is a Scot, learned and gifted in English usage and correction of moy.

"Tumshie" is a term of Scotland and Northern England - The Marches. Her family carved "tumshie lanterns" on All Saints Night from "swedes" or "turnips" and I guess this is where we got our Halloween jacko tradtition.

"Neeps" in her first response were turnips = rutabagas. Yet the word 'turnip" derives from "neeps." It seems that neeps = turnips ≠ rutabagas.

A strong recollection is that swedes were considered very "down market" in the locality as they were raised as feed for livestock.

[Gio]

1. Massachusetts
2. Yes
3. Smaller white fleshed vegetables are turnips, 'Brassica rapa.' They've been cultivated for more than 4000 years. Larger yellow fleshed ones are rutabagas, 'Brassica napobrassica.' It's a weedy relative of the cabbage. They are entirely different species!

Growing up in an Italian family I didn't have either vegetable till I went off to college and even then infrequently. It wasn't till I married and began to go to markets and farm stands that I added both vegetables to my larder. I must admit I do like rutabagas better than turnips....

[danieljdwyer]

I find it very interesting that there have been so many replies from Massachusetts reporting turnips being called turnips and rutabagas being called rutabagas. I grew up in Southwestern Connecticut, went to college in Boston, moved to New Haven, and am now back in Boston. My grandmother's family is from Worcester, and I've been visiting them there frequently my whole life. When I go shopping in either Worcester or Boston, and I see a bin of rutabagas, they are labeled turnips. Just about ever meal I've ever eaten with my grandmother's family between November and February has involved rutabagas, and they call them turnips. I've got a few 19th century New England cookbooks, which have multiple recipes calling for turnips. Only one of them gives a description, which makes it clear that when they say turnips, they mean rutabagas.
Because of these factors, I always assumed that, in New England, turnip always meant rutabaga (unless qualified, like, white turnip or seven top turnip). This clearly is not true, as you and several others have observed otherwise in Massachusetts.
So, from personal experience, family ties, and the responses here, it looks like the incorrect use of turnip to mean rutabaga occurs throughout the Northeastern United States (except for maybe Pennsylvania) and Eastern Canada. It may not, however, be consistent in this area. So now I'm wondering what the other factors are besides geographic location.

[Gio]

Daniel, I'm thinking that the bins in supermarket are probably labled by people who are reading the labels on the crates they're unloading, or perhaps the manager of the dept. Now, that makes me wonder where the terminology gets crossed. The grower, the packer, the distributor, who exactly? Seedsmen know what they're growing and saving... Where do things deteriorate?

[danieljdwyer]

Well, most rutabagas are grown in Ontario, and the responses here from folks in Ontario have been that they call them turnips up there. Maybe that plays in?
But that wouldn't explain why it is not happening in the rest of the country.
Also, this has happened to me not just at supermarkets, but also when buying from growers. Even my CSA in Connecticut called them rutabagas turnips.
I have no idea where the disconnect is.
I have a vague suspicion that it has something to do with the Irish. The Northeast has the heaviest concentration of Irish American heritage, and seems to also have the heaviest concentration of calling turnips rutabagas. My ancestry is all Irish, and they all call turnips rutabagas, as do our relatives that are still in Ireland. I have no idea if there is any merit to this suspicion however, as that could easily all be coincidental.

[Gio]

Well...your theory is certainly food for thought. Ahem.
The curious thing is that we buy Rutabagas at Tendercrop Farm and Turnips from Market Basket...properly labeled in each case.

[danieljdwyer]

That's not that surprising. If anywhere in New England would get it right, it would make sense that it would be Massachusetts, as Massachusetts gets a lot more influx of people from other parts of the country. When they go shopping, they might say, 'Hey, that's not a turnip." Maybe Market Basket is more likely to get that sort of consumer than, say, the Star Market in Brookline. I think the Whole Foods in Brighton and City Feed in Jamaica Plain also label correctly.

[kmcarr]

Gio,

The taxonomy has shifted a little in the Brassica genus. White turnips are 'Brassica rapa subsp. rapa'; plain Brassica rapa is field mustard. There are a number of other subspecies of Brassica rapa, some of which include bok choy (subsp. chinensis) and chinese cabbage (subsp. pekinensis). Rutabaga is Brassica napus var. napobrassica. Standard Brassica napus is rape, the source of rapeseed and canola oil.

You are correct that members of the mustard family have been cultivated for thousands of years and they have been subject to substantial variation induced by human selection. Kale, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, broccoli and collards (among others) are all just different varieties of a single species, Brassica oleracea.

[Becca Porter]

Okay this thread made me purchase some rutabagas. Anyone have easy access to their favorite recipes?

[FrankD]

Simple is good. Cube (not as easy as it sounds!), boil, mash with butter and a bit of brown sugar (I use Splenda, actually). As Jen suggested, anywhere you might put potatoes - stews, soups, etc. You just might need to cook them a tad longer, as the rutabaga is a bit tougher than a potato.

If you're feeling energetic, cut them into batons along with some parsnips, and get a nice two colour vegetable dish to go aside your favourite meats.

[FlyFish]

Cut into 1 1/2-inch (or thereabouts) chunks, toss with good olive oil and some S & P, and roast in the oven at 375 until tender - maybe an hour or so - turning now and then. Concentrates the flavor nicely. Add some carrots and/or other root vegetables for variety.

[danieljdwyer]

Think of them as something between a radish and a carrot. Like either of those, they are delicious raw, or cooked just about anyway but overdone and watery. Most people seem to boil the hell out of them, then mash them. I like them this way, but only because I grew up with it. When cooked this way, like carrots, they lose their sweetness and become soggy and unpleasant.
They are great sliced thin and treated as a salad or slaw vegetable, like a radish. They're great cut into small cubes for soups and stews, but, like carrots, are easy to overcook this way. One of my favorite winter soups is a simple root vegetable puree with rutabaga (or turnip as I will always call it) as the main component, and three to five of the following: carrot, parsnip, winter squash, apples, celeriac, sweet potato, onion, garlic, ginger, or probably just about any other root vegetable. They are also great in a braise, or roasted. They can be roasted on their own, but are at their best cooked along with a roast so that they simmer in the meat juices.

[EWSflash]

1- Arizona
2- You can almost always find them in the markets
3- Turnip = turnip, rutabaga = rutabaga

I remember eating a turnip pulled fresh from the ground at the community garden in Tennessee as a little kid, having my dad peel it and giving us each a slice. I was so surprised that they had such a sweet flavor!

I'm surprised that we never had rutabagas or turnips much growing up. my mom was quite the pioneer whe it came to fruits and veggies otherwise. It's possible I've never had a rutabaga, in fact. This embarrasses me. I peel turnips and slice fairly thinly and serve with salt as a nosh, now I have to try some rutabagas, roasted, I think. Any other preparation ideas?

Thank you, mr dwyer, for bringing this item to my attention.

[Jen76]

EWS, rutabagas are great in everything that potatoes are used for. They are similar in texture when cooked, but slightly orangish in color. I particularly like them in stew.

[hsk]

1. Montreal (anglo)
2. Yes
3. Turnips and turnips. Just different kinds. It wasn't until I moved out west that I found out the second kind was actually a rutabaga. I liked the yellow turnips (rutabaga) better than the white turnips growing up.

[chowmel]

Massachusetts
white purple top - white turnip - available but we didn't each it much
yellow rutabaga - turnip - ate it alot
Growing up, we also knew the yellow turnip was called a rutabaga. We were told that we ate yellow turnips and rutabagas were animal feed. But then we did always eat like little pigs !

[cbrunelle]

1) Massachusetts
2) In my house we ate more rutabagas than turnips.
3) We call a rutabaga a rutabaga, and turnip a turnip. I've never heard of anyone in NE calling a rutabaga a turnip, but maybe when people said turnip they meant rutabaga, and I just didn't know it? I've never been in a position to look at the actual vegetable when they said it to make a positive identification.

[FrankD]

1. Ontario
2. Yes
3. I suspect what we get are rutabagas, as they are definitely yellow fleshed, but they have always been called "turnips" since I was a child.

Mom's fave prep was mashed with a bit of brown sugar and butter. Perfect for sopping up that T-day gravy.

[DockPotato]

Also Ontario.

Yes, "turnip" here = rutabaga. In our district it's a major crop.

When we encounter rutabaga labelled as "turnips" in our supermarkets, and then turnips labelled as 'turnips" a few paces further, we simply shrug and move on.

No-one has mentioned raw turnip sticks (yellow) which are a favourite fridge snack in our house.

[Val]

hmmm...and I recently had pickled turnip served in a little cup next to my falafel pita...it was very good! Had never had it before!

[pikawicca]

Are you saying that you snack on raw rutabaga?

[Gio]

pika.... apparently raw rutabaga is a fine veggie snack...raw....mind you. Whodah thought? I've been reading many sites which give a variety of preparations of the rutabaga including raw sticks as a component to a crudité tray.

[pikawicca]

Well, this just kind of blows me away. I've eaten mashed and roasted rutabagas all my life, but never encountered a raw offering. I will try this straightaway.

[DockPotato]

Cut a 1/4 inch round and then slice that into 1/4 inch sticks, P. It disappears faster than carrots, celery, pepper &tc in our house.

[MNLisaB]

This is so funny, my MIL always made what she called mashed "turnips" as a T -Giving side dish. It wasn't until I did my own T-Giving that i realized what she made were actually rutabagas. I use both as a white potato sub.
Turnips have a much sharper/bitter taste than rutabagas, and I have made both. when I oven roast turnips, it helps to first soak the cubes in milk, this is not needed when you roast rutabagas.

[Cherylptw]

If you can get the tiny turnips (about the size of a baby red potato) they are as mild as a potato with no sharp taste. Blanching the larger turnips will help rid of the strong flavor

[scubadoo97]

1. Florida
2. Yes
3. Turnip and Rutabaga respectively

[Cherylptw]

Tar Heel State (NC)
Common all over the southern states
Turnips & rutabagas are completely different with completely different flavors

When I was growing up in New York, my mother cooked rutabaga, cubed with bacon,
s & p simmered on the stovetop like potatoes. I didn't like them back then but I do now and the way she makes them are the only way I'll eat them. I never ate a turnip until a few years ago but like them better than rutas because they're a sponge for other flavors.

I like to roast them with other root veggies and drizzle on some reduced balsamic vinegar syrup.

[Val]

1. Born and raised in New Jersey
2. I don't know if they are commonly eaten there...they were always on OUR Thanksgiving table but never at any other time of the year...the presence of my Grandmother (Irish and born and raised in New York City) may have had an influence...she was there EVERY Thanksgiving to help prepare the meal. (Thank God because my mom was an alcoholic, God rest her soul.)
3. My mom and grandma called them turnips.

I do like them... but I'm the only one in my little family in the "here and now" who does like them.

[smartie]

definitely a swede in the UK which Americans call rutabagas. never heard the word rutabaga till recently despite living in Fl for 5 years.
mashed swedes are wonderful with loads of butter cream and salt and pepper just like good mashed potatoes. mashed swede and carrots also good so are mashed swedes and potatoes.

[Jen76]

1. Born/raised in Milwaukee; now live in Metro-Phoenix

2. I don't know if they are commonly eaten, but I almost always see them both in most grocery stores.

3. Turnip = Turnip, Rutabaga = Rutabaga

My grandfather grew up on a farm in Northwestern WI during the depression. His parents came here from Sweden and they grew and lived off rutabagas. He hated rutababagas. I think they are quite yummy though. I'm not fond of turnips though.

[jmholsin]

1. Indiana hoosier here.
2. I don't know how commonly they are eaten, but they are widely available in both grocery stores and farmer's markets. For my own tastes -1 for turnips, +1 for rutabagas!
3. As the trend goes turnip=turnip, rutabaga=rutabaga. It was a long time before I was even aware that they were related veg.

[pdxgastro]

I never had either growing up in an Italian household. I was introduced to the Swede/Rutabaga in England, pan roasted in the juices of a hunk of beef. Dee-licious! I bet I wouldn't have liked it as much if it had been boiled and mashed.

[Beckyleach]

My father was from Massachusetts. He always distinguished between rutabagas and turnips and made us endure the damned rutabagas EVERY single Thanksgiving.

My mother was from Texas. She loved turnips and turnip greens (another horrible smell that I did not love as a chid, but do now...) and I doubt she'd ever laid eyes on a yellar baga till she met and married that damned Yankee. ;-)

[pikawicca]

I grew up (product of California parents, but lived all over the place) calling a turnip a turnip, and a rutabaga a rutabaga, Back in those days, it was an important distinction for me -- loved rutabagas, hated turnips.

[Harters]

1. Britain
2. Yes
3. Smaller white fleshed veg are turnips. Larger yellow fleshed ones are swedes. Except in Scotland where both are commonly called turnips (or, more usually, neeps)

[chicgail]

1. Illinois
2. Somewhat commonly; certainly commonly available
3. A turnip is a turnip. A rutabaga is a rutabaga.
They look different, taste different and are priced and sold differently.

I'm actually surprised to learn that for some of you they have the same name.

[danieljdwyer]

It's not that they have the same name in New England. I've only ever heard turnip used to mean rutabaga here. I've never seen actual turnips in a grocery store here, or on a menu, or in anyone's home. I have seen actual turnips a few times at farmers markets, and I used to buy them from a farm directly. In these cases, they were never just called a turnip, but were called by the specific variety (Teltow turnip, May turnip, seven top, white globe, et cetera). If something is just called a turnip, it is always a rutabaga.

[cheesemaestro]

I grew up in New England and now live in Pennsylvania. Out here both are eaten, but more turnips than rutabagas. We also occasionally get the red or pure white varieties of turnips.

Turnips and rutabagas are not the same. Despite the resemblance, they are different (although related) species of plants. I prefer turnips, particularly small ones that are more tender and less "bitey."

[Karl S]

My parents are from CT, but I grew up on Long Island. My maternal grandmother was from Ireland.

We called rutabagas turnips, and never encountered fresh white/purple turnips. Rutabagas were a staple of the Thanksgiving table: riced/mashed with potatoes and some apple and butter and S&P and put back in the oven to caramelize a bit.

I much prefer rutabagas to white/purple turnips. I know many other people have the opposite preference.

[tracylee]

1. Oregon
2. Yes
3. Turnip=turnip, Rutabaga=rutabaga - however, my Grandmother, from Pennsylvania refers to rutabagas as swedes.

[absurdnerdbird]

1. Philadelphia
2. Yes
3. Turnips and rutabagas ( have heard the term "Swede" as well for rutabaga)

[Ruth Lafler]

"Swede" is the name for "rutabaga" in Britain (and presumably the rest of the Commonwealth).

Turnips and rutabagas are two different vegetables. However, I get confused about which one is which, so it may very well be that what *you* call a turnip is actually a rutabaga (or vice versa).

[FlyFish]

New England
Yes
In my family growing up, we commonly ate rutabagas and called them turnips, but also recognized that there were what I (eventually) came to understand were "real" turnips, which we called "white turnips." I much prefer the stronger (to me) flavor of rutabagas.

[Uncle Bob]

1. Deep South
2. Yes they are
3. Turnips are Turnips...Rutabagas are Rutabagas
4 Like Rutabagas Ok....LOVE Turnip Roots!!!
5. Have some in the refrigerator right now mixed in with Turnip/Mustard Greens...Yummy!
6. Guess what's for supper along with a grilled P-Chop, and baked sweet potato.....:)

[slewfoot]

1. Texas.
2. Yes.
3. A turnip is a turnip and a rutabaga is a rutabaga. Two different, yet similar, items.

[Becca Porter]

1. Louisiana
2. Yes- and very commonly available
3. Turnip = Turnip Rutabaga = Rutabaga

[Atahualpa]

1. Toronto On Canada
2. Yes
3. My father calls a rutabaga a turnip. I call turnips turnips and rutabagas rutabagas. I also grew up with a lot of British programming and occasionally use swede.