Scottish MNers - what do you call the things that English people call turnips?

[MrsMuddle]

To me, a turnip is the orange coloured vegetable that you mash on Burns Night. It's the size of a cabbage.

I want to buy small white / purple vegetables that are called Turnips in my cook book.

I can't find them in Tesco's or Sainsburys.

What would you call them, and where do you buy them?

They are called swedes and you get them at most greengrocers or supermarkets.

turnips

Oh, we had this debate yesterday.
A turnip in Scotland and Cornwall is different to the ones commonly sold everywhere as a turnip.
A swede is a cross between a turnip and a cabbage and has white flesh.
The Scottish neep has orange flesh.

Ok, I am English with a Scottish dh. In England the orange cabbage-sized ones are swedes and the small white/purple ones are turnips. In Scotland the orange ones are turnips, and the small white/purple ones are either swedes or "wee turnips" depending who you speak to!

I assume you are in Scotland? I don't know where you would buy them, can you ask a local greengrocer?

MrsMuddle, I saw your little white/purple veg in our Tescos today - they called them turnips. (we're in Liverpool)

I always thought the bigger orange things were swedes?

i'm confused.

neep

I don't worry about what any of them are actually called tbh. If I need a particular thing I would ask the greengrocer or ring the shop who delivers my weekly box. They are used to odd questions from me!

swede - the ones in the shops are a smaller version of this type.

Nope definitely the wee ones are Swedes and the big orangey ones are turnips. lol

You can usually see both in Asda.

Turnip

Swede

I agree with Wikipedia.

Am English with a Scottish mother.

I agree with TFM and Wikipedia, but I am English. I'm sure most supermarkets would have them though (the small white/purple ones) at this time of year.

I have just checked on Tesco online, and they definitely have turnips (small white/purple) as well as swedes (larger purple/orange).

Er, don't tarnish all the English with the same brush...
I am from the North East (of England) & there the big orange ones are turnips and the small white ones are swedes. I have lived in London 25 years & still have to 'correct' myself when buying from market stalls

I'm Scottish and I know the big orange ones as turnips and the wee white/purple ones are snowball turnips and they call them that in the Asda here too. they had some in on Sunday when I was in.

It would avoid confusuion if we all referred to them as Brassica Rapa var. Rapa (small white/purple one) or Brassica Napobrassica (larger orange one)!

Sorry for the generalisation!

I asked in Sainsbury's if they had "wee turnips" and he went through the orange "turnips" looking for a small one.

I explained it was a different kind of turnip and he looked at me like I had two heads.

And I am in Glasgow. So it looks like I need to ask for swede, do I? (I'm a bit confused now.)

Thanks for the Asda tip. I will try there and hopefully won't have to ask anyone for anything.

It was the Asda at Linwood I was in, we are in Kilmacolm, and they had loads of really tiny white turnips. I noticed them because I remember eating them when I was little and they were yum!

They were pre-packed and in with the baby veg, if that makes sense??

Yup reversed in England, but in Scottish supermarkets if you are weighing them check the picture to make sure you are not paying too much if they call it the english name.

ahwishahweramermaid now now, you should know better than to shop in the ASDA if you're from Kilmacolm

PMSL! We have only lived here for a few months, I have a feeling that I don't really fit in! People keep asking me if I'm the children's nanny

I wonder where the rest of Kilmacolm shops?

i'm part irish and my family call the sweed.......

Ahwishahwuramermaid I was almost there myself today but at the last minute realised the severity of that choice and diverted to the shiney new Morrisons

no need at all when there are choices!!!