Shopper’s Dictionary: Parsnips

What is it? The poor parsnip. Introduced to North America during Colonial times, this cream-color, sweeter-than-carrots root vegetable was all but forgotten when potatoes took over as the continent’s starch of choice around the mid-1800s.

The holidays are a good time to bring parsnips out of hiding, as they have a long tradition on Christmas tables throughout the English-speaking world. Season and roast them as you would carrots, or try them cooked and puréed as the base of a hearty vegetable bisque.

Where can I find it? Parsnips cost about $2 to $3 a pound at most supermarkets.

This story was originally published November 26, 2014 at 7:43 AM with the headline "Shopper’s Dictionary: Parsnips."