Parsnips

Looks like albino carrot - pale yellow, ivory or off-white. Perfect parsnip is firm but not woody, definitely not soft - should not be able to bend it.

Hardy vegetable suitable for storage - keep dry. Wrap in towel or perforated bag, keeps for few weeks. Wash and peel just before cooking.

Roasting coaxes nuttiness out, but quick parboil first helps soften starch. Towel-dry parboiled parsnips before roasting or sautéing or they'll steam. Add to mashed potatoes with garlic for earthier taste with hint of sweetness. Add sautéed diced parsnips to pasta dishes. Like warm spices - ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, curry, cardamom, sugar, maple syrup. Poach in coconut milk until tender, then sauté in butter with salt, finish with splash of coconut milk reduced until glazes roots. Sweet desserts like three-layer parsnip cake (even sweeter than carrots).

Not detailed in FoodPrint guide.

One cup raw contains 6g fiber at 100 calories. Rich in potassium and respectable source of calcium, iron, Vitamin C, and folate. Being studied for cancer-fighting properties from phytochemical called falcarinol.

Parsnip easily fermented into beer and wine, practice continued into 19th century. Before making to colonial America, stopped in West Indies (too hot). First colonial stop Virginia, migrated to Massachusetts, revered by Native American tribes. Contrary to belief, not genetic mutation of carrot - though botanically related. Frost intensifies sugar content and sweetness. Stays underground to 'winter over' - nifty for gardeners with limited storage.

Not grown on massive scale, excluded from EWG Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. Peak during coldest months of year. Buying from local farmers presents opportunity to ask about production methods. Available through early weeks of spring for two-thirds of country.