Is it a Swede?

Yesterday's Halloween preparations saw the usual carving of pumpkins but for a bit of nostalgia I decided to carve a swede. I must of started calling it a swede when we moved to Northamptonshire because as a child in Lancashire it was always a turnip. Further oop north over the border in Scotland they call it the infamous neeps, usually served up with tatties, and I've just learned to some Scots it's a tumshie. In Gaelic it's a snèap, in Welsh a rwden (pronounced erfin) and our American friends over the pond call it a rutabaga.

We never saw a pumpkin at Halloween during my childhood, everyone had turnips and I'm not sure that's due to availability or price. Whatever the reason I'm having a turnip lantern this year, or swede, tumshie, snèap, erfin, rutabaga.

I've just got to end this post with a picture of the sticker on my swede below. I never thought of simply microwaving a swede like a potato! What a simple, effective and healthy way to cook them and I would of definitely given it a go if I hadn't carved it out. Next time I'll be trying it for sure.