[Sca-cooks] Carrots in Dutch paintings

[Terry Decker]

> It would seem to me that the white carrot-like things with the greens 
> still
> attached are turnips, as turnip greens were eaten along with the root. I
> believe that Gerrard shows the turnip root as long, rather than the 
> bulbous ones we
> have today.
>

The attached tops don't match carrots or parsnips, and they aren't skirrets, 
so I would say turnip is a good bet.

> The orange and purplish ones (the color on my computer is not very good
> either) with the greens neatly docked would be carrots, as their greens 
> are not
> eaten.
>

The color on these reproductions is abysmal.  They are tremendously washed 
out and color shifted.

> These are fascinating pix! I'm am especially interestly in the salmon 
> steak
> hanging from a nail. Was thsi for display or for ageing? Likewise one 
> painting
> had what looked like ray-type fishes displayed. Were rays eaten and has 
> anyone
> seen a recipe?
>
> Renata ::Dusting off my Art History degree::

The salmon steak is probably hanging to get it out of the way of foraging 
critters until it can be used.  I can't see the kitchen mouser resisting 
temptation.  Salmon would have probably been used fresh.  Rays were eaten, 
but I don't recall seeing any recipes.

Bear