PRODUCT: Baby Carrots, Easy To Love
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Even if you had your fill of carrots at Easter dinner, we’re about to inspire you to have them more regularly.
Peeled baby carrots have come from nowhere to be the number-one-selling fresh-cut vegetable in the produce department. And that’s no surprise: |
An individual snack pack with a container of ranch dip, plated. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE. |
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The Grimm brothers, Rod and Bob, began their family business in the fertile soil of California’s San Joaquin Valley in 1968, with a roadside produce stand. Today, they process 40,000 of California’s 75,000 acres of carrots in a variety of locations (California processes 80% of the nation’s carrots). On an average day, Grimmway Farms processes 2.5 miles of trucks loaded with 10 million pounds of carrots! The company also grows regular whole carrots and produces carrot chips, carrot dippers, crinkle cut coins, carrot sticks, shredded carrots…and in non-carrot categories, citrus and potatoes. Much crunchier than conventional crunchy snacks like chips and pretzels, and so much better for you, baby carrots are easy to love as an often-as-you-want snack. Learn more at Grimmway.com. |
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 Easy microwaved baby carrots in a light brown sugar-cinnamon sauce. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE. |
THE HISTORY OF CARROTS A root vegetable, carrots originated 3000 years ago in Central Asia and the Near East, slowly migrating into the Mediterranean area. Carrots are members of the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae) family, which includes caraway, celery, chervil, dill, fennel and parsnips. Originally, the carrot roots were white, yellow, green or purple in color—not orange—and used for medicinal purposes. Ancient Greek physicians prescribed carrot root and juices to treat cancer, indigestion, snake bites and skin ulcers. It is believed that orange carrots were first developed in the 1600s by the Dutch. All modern carrots are directly descended from Dutch-bred carrots. They have been reverse-bred to their original colors, too, plus a burgundy red shade. The Debut Of Baby Carrots Mini-peeled carrots, popularly called baby carrots and also called petite carrots, were first introduced in 1989. Contrary to popular belief, baby carrots are not grown bite-sized. They are bred to be long and slender, and then cut into two-inch pieces and lathed to uniform width. |
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However, top-of-the-line chefs do serve baby vegetables—carrots, radishes, squash and other varieties—that are harvested very young. How can you tell the difference between the two types of carrots? The harvested-young-and-whole carrots will have their tops on. FUN CARROT FACTS
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