You asked for it
Jim Meadows of Memphis would like to know how the baby carrots he sees in the supermarket are produced. “They are all nearly identical in size!” he writes.
Carrots are gems of a vegetable and such a versatile cooking ingredient. I’m growing them for the first time and it has been quite easy. I’m pulling them on a regular basis and it is beyond a thrill to do so. Most people probably pull them off the market shelves, which is fine too.
Carrots are in the large parsley family and are relatives of dill, fennel, anise, parsnips and caraway, just to name a few. One look at the blooms and you instantly see the family resemblance to Queen Anne’s Lace, which is also known as the wild carrot.
Although originally cultivated for the leaves and seeds, it is now more famous for the delicious taproot. Food historians believe the plant came from Persia. And while we commonly enjoy the orange roots, there are multiple colors available at a bit higher cost. Purple, red, black, white and yellow types are on the market to a much lesser degree.
The first thing I do after I pull the roots from the ground is remove the leafy tops. The purpose for the tops, which is to feed the root and keep it growing, comes to an end as soon as the carrots are harvested. Those pretty tops Jim, there are true baby carrots that are incredibly tender thanks to their immaturity. However, the bagged baby carrots you see at the grocery began as 10-inch long slender carrots. They are cut into 2-inch pieces, peeled and shaped to look like a mini-carrot. They were first introduced in 1989. will pull moisture from the root and shorten the shelf life of the carrot.
The crisper drawer is the best place for them to reside until you are ready to use them. I quickly rinse them off with cold water and into a plastic bag they go. If they are stored too long, they will become soft. You can perk up ones that are not too flabby by soaking them in water. Place the top (fat) end down in a glass of cold water and place in the refrigerator. After 3 hours (overnight is even better), you’ve got crisp carrots once more.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on “Volunteer Gardener” on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at www.haute flavor.com