carrot terminology question?!
....and settle an argument: I say "baby cut carrots" are full size carrots, cut into "baby" shapes, right?
thanks, have a happy orange day!
Answers:
For best nutrition, the carrot greenery should be removed as soon as possible as it takes moisture and vitamins from the roots, Carrots with the green tops still attached, they are commonly referred to as Belgian or French carrots.
True baby carrots are small, sweet and tender carrots that are harvested earlier than normal. They are generally sold with their greens still on and they look like a normal carrot only smaller. They are not cut and peeled in the same manner as mini-peeled carrots.
Mini-peeled carrots are most often labeled as baby carrots but they are not true baby carrots. They are actually a long, thin variety of carrot that is grown close together and bred to ripen faster than other varieties. After being harvested, they are washed and cut into 2-inch pieces. They are then sent through cutters and peelers to shape and polish them to their finished size. Min-peeled carrots have become very popular as a snack, appetizer, and for cooking because of the convenience in not having to cut and peel them before using.
While any carrot can be harvested before reaching its full size as a more tender "baby" carrot, some fast-maturing cultivars have been bred to produce smaller roots. The most extreme examples produce round roots about 2.5 cm (one inch) in diameter. These small cultivars are also more tolerant of heavy or stony soil than long-rooted cultivars such as nantes or imperator. The "baby carrots" sold ready-to-eat in supermarkets are, however, often not from a smaller cultivar of carrot, but are simply full-sized carrots that have been sliced and peeled to make carrot sticks of a uniform shape and size. Baby carrots tend to be very tender, but not as flavorful as full grown carrots (Herbst 2001).
And lastly, Yellow carrots are great for color in a dish too.
Carrot tops are edible and are highly nutritive, rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. The tops of the carrots are loaded with potassium which can make them bitter, so the use of them in food is limited.
Baby carrots are immature carrots or mature carrots that are cut into baby shapes.
I could not find any info on what the carrots with a bit of green left on the top are called.
you are right, baby carrots are adults trimmed to size.
you got me on the young carrots with the stem left on.
They are sold that way on purpose just for that and perhaps there is no specific name for it.
I will mark you question and look forward to other answers you may get.