PASSIONATE RATIONS

Let me take a moment, as fall takes hold, to extol the virtues of a lowly root vegetable:  the parsnip.

Parsnips look like anemic carrots on steroids.   But they have a nutty-sweet flavor all their own and more food value (loads of potassium and fiber).   They once held the position of the potato, but have fallen in esteem, for reasons I cannot fathom, since they are so distinctly flavorful.

While I adore potatoes, parsnips are bolder. Mashed with potatoes and you’ve created a phenomenon.  Thankfully, my holiday traditions often include them in the mix, mashed and salted and positioned right next to the potatoes, a dish in their own right.

Once again, Trader Joe’s has come to my food-faves rescue and delivered lightly salted parsnip chips, which I began munching as I contemplated the evening’s topic.

Ah, inspiration!