Honor the Carrot During National Carrot Month

Hi. I'm Chef Eric and here's what's on my plate this week:

Are you serious, National Carrot Month?  I guess everything deserves a season to celebrate.  When I saw that January was reserved to celebrate this auspicious crunchy vegetable, I just had to ask myself why? Carrots are everywhere.  Most of us take them for granted.  But the carrot is very versatile.  It can be used to nurture our young, sustain our eyesight and fight off the harmful effects of cancer cells. Carrots contain a goldmine of nutrients.  No other vegetable contains as much carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.  They are also dense with B and C as well as calcium pectate, which is a pectin fiber that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering properties.  Wow! Mom always said "eat your carrots they're good for you".  I guess she knew what she was talking about.

A few facts about the humble carrot:

• Carrots have not always been orange.  The color we now find so prominently on our grocers' shelf is the result of cross breading a yellow and red variety.  Dutch growers for the House of Orange developed this hybrid to honor the Dutch Royal Family in the early 16th century.  
• Carrots have played a role in American culture.  The early English settlers brought them with them when they landed in Jamestown.  Native Americans took to this root vegetable because it was easy to grow and lasted a long time after harvest.  It is said that Thomas Jefferson was so fond of these crunchy victuals and that he grew 18 bushels in 1814. 
• Carrots played a big role in WWII.  Every victory garden had carrots as a mainstay.  They were promoted to improve night vision and were a worthy replacement for the diminishing supply of meat for stews.

But colorful carrots are re-emerging. Heirloom carrots are returning to our seed catalogs and specialty markets.  Carrots come in hundreds of varieties, shapes and colors.  The original red and yellow varieties can be grown or purchased. How cool would it be to serve purple, white or even black varieties as well? And for those of you who already sing their praises, there is actually a World Carrot Museum (virtual as it may be) dedicated this well documented vegetable.   

In addition to their long history and containing many beneficial vitamins and nutrients carrots are versatile ingredients in the kitchen.  No refrigerator should be without a carrot.  Carrots can be baked, boiled, braised, poached, steamed, roasted, fried, grilled, sautéed, pickled, smoked, juiced and eaten raw.  Now I see why we have a whole month dedicated to this storied versatile and delicious carrot. How will you honor the mighty carrot this month?