I’m quitting turnips

I have really, really tried, but I can’t make myself like turnips. I tried them boiled, with this great broth. I tried them mashed. You add enough butter and anything should be great, right? I was just wasting the butter, as it turns out.

My problem is two-fold: Turnips are one of those sweet vegetables. And I can’t get over the fact that I don’t like them.

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve never had a taste for sweet vegetables. Growing up, I turned my nose up at beets, turnips and sweet potatoes. I can now eat beets and sweet potatoes, but only by treating them as if they were more savory than they are. I roast beets and serve them with a vinaigrette. I like my sweet potatoes roasted or baked with butter, salt and pepper. I still don’t like the traditional fixings for these vegetables, heavy on sugar or its substitutes.  Actually the more I think about it, I don’t like anything sweet messing with my non-sweet food. I think maple syrup is delicious, but I can’t stand it on waffles or pancakes, for instance. Team the syrup with some baked fruit, then we’re in business.

At any rate, I hereby declare myself to be done trying to like turnips. I think because they feel such a part of down-home cooking, I’ve kept after them long after I should have rightly given up. As of now, I’m leaving them for the rest of you.