[Sca-cooks] The Purple Carrot Returns and then Some

[Chris Stanifer]

--- Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> wrote:

>   William de Grandfort asked:
> > Weren't the 'original' carrots dark red?  I seem to recall reading that
> > somewhere on this list.
> > Or not.
> Yes, and other colors including an orange one which wasn't sweet.
> The latter in particular makes me wonder if these carrots, and others 
> made with back-breeding, actually resemble medieval carrots in any way 
> other than color.

After my original inquiry, I did a little bit of research on the history of the carrot, and it
appears that the carrots of antiquity were, for the most part, unpalatable, and used for medicinal
purposes mainly. Apparently, carrots could be found in red, white, yellow, purple and even green.
A few references claim that it was the Dutch who bred the orange, sweet carrot, in homage to one
of their national colors.  This is not to say that other carrots of the middle ages were not sweet
(I believe the Romans grew sweet carrots), merely that the first carrots discovered were not
sweet, and required a 'green thumb' to make them so.  A few botanical references indicate that
what we know as the modern carrot today is a cultivated form of the common weed known as Queen
Anne's Lace.

William de Grandfort


=====
Every heart to love will come... but like a refugee.


		
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