A recent article in the Guardian would suggest that the humble turnip or (Neep / Stumshie) as it is known in Scotland is staging a comeback.
Commonly the Swede or yellow turnip (Rutabaga) is what we refer to as “turnip” but the true turnip is a smaller, white root vegetable.
Great at bulking out meals when combined with potato and in casseroles, but also good as an accompanying vegetable and can be cooked in a variety of ways.
One leading supermarket is claiming that sales in the last 12 months have risen by a whopping 75%. They think that this is a reflection on the country’s economy, with more people buying cheaper fresh veg and preparing their own meals instead of buying ready meals.
Turnips have been a staple food since in Britain the middle ages, but our Elizabethan friend Baldrick, from the TV series Blackadder, was very partial to this humble vegetable which may have given it slightly notorious press.
Grocers and producers expect the huge demand to increase prices and deplete supplies. However, Turnips are very easy to grow from seed and some companies offer young plants should you not have the room to raise your own seedlings.
For those interested in the history of the turnip, Wikipedia has more