The roots of nurture—root vegetables and gourds—are stable comfort foods as winter approaches. We no longer crave the cooling fruits of trees; instead, we long for the warming fruits of the earth. When we go to the farmer’s market or the produce store, we can now find a vast and wonderful selection of root vegetables and weird looking winter squashes. They’re rich in sweetness, fiber, and nutrients, all of which help contribute to them being rich in satisfaction.
Root vegetables.
To be a true root, the vegetable needs to grow underground and play the role of a root for a plant, which means absorbing moisture and nutrients from the ground. Generally the term “root” is used for any underground part of a plant that we eat. Even though onions and leeks are both related, we would call an onion a root vegetable but not a leek, since leeks grow above ground.
More on root vegetables:
- Root vegetables include beets, burdock, faikon, carrots, horseradish, radishes, rutabagas, parsnips, salsify, and turnips
- Bulbs are the part of a plant that grow underground. Examples of this are onions and garlic
- Corms are underground stems that grow vertically. Celeriac, taro, and water chestnuts are corms (even though water chestnuts grow underwater, not underground). Corms store starch for the plant.
- Rhizomes are stems that grow horizontally underground. Roots grow off the rhizomes and the parts of the plant that will appear above ground. Ginger and turmeric are rhizomes.
- Tubers are underground stems. They grow in thickness instead of length. Sweet potatoes, yams, and other potatoes are tubers.
Root vegetables have never been very fashionable, but they’re winning over new fans because of their nourishing value and comfort-food appeal. Almost all root vegetables need to be cooked, so they require more effort (read: time), which often makes them more of a rare treat than a stable daily food.
Gourds or winter squash.
Gourds include pumpkin, winter squash, and all the warty, odd-shaped, decorative plants we see this time of year. Squash is the fruit of the gourd family. It originated in the western hemisphere and was consumed by man at least 5,000 years ago, probably even earlier. Winter squash—butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash—is firmer in the flesh and has a thick skin. Winter squash requires longer cooking than other vegetables, but it can be cooked and eaten with the skin. Some prefer to carve out the meat inside when eating them.
