Beetroot

[showboat]

Does anybody know the name of a large root vegetable, as used in english, literally meaning 'beet root' in German?

[Lurker]

Mangel Wurzel

[Elfin]

Kohl Rabi perhaps? Doesn't actually mean beet root in German but it is a large root veg.

[Lurker]

Mangel Wurzel is a direct translation from the German. Mangelwurzels are large root vegetables usually fed to cattle, but can also also cooked and eaten as a veg. Do you remember 'I've got a Brand New Combine Harvester' by the Wurzels. Early 80's I think.

[New Forester]

Presumably it's not beetroot then...? Otherwise, what about sugar beet? This is also the root of a beet plant... In fact, it's just a large white beetroot. Beetroot, sugar beet, Swiss and ruby chard, and spinach beet are all the same species. Kohl rabi is a cabbage with a swollen stem -- in fact technically not a root. Not sure what rabi means, but kohl is cabbage, as in Chancellor. Not sure what a mangel wurzel is -- is it the same as a swede? If so, it's the root version of seed rape (canola in US). Pretty sure it's cabbage family though, not a beet.

[pinus]

details here http://www.museums.org.za/bio/plants/amaranthaceae/beta_vulg aris.htm

[GuavaHalf]

wasn't there a tv show in the eighties with jon pertwee as a scarecrow who used a mangel wurzel for his head.

[New Forester]

Well, there you are, I stand corrected. Not quite sure what the difference between mangel-wurzel and sugar beet is though -- presumably just different varieties?

[Toffee]

Mmmmmm. September Quizmail question 119. Shouldn't you be doing your own research?

[Wisebird]

GuavaHalf - You're thinking about 'Wurzel Gummage'. Wasn't Aunt Sally played by Una Stubbs?