What the heck is a Topinambour?!?

I am a student at heart.

I love learning new things.

I am pretty much a big nerd.

Seriously.  I will easily watch a documentary over any other kind of movie. I often am reading non-fiction as opposed to the latest and greatest new novel that is sweeping the nation.  I have not one, but two, dictionary apps on my phone. (I even have the full Constitution and Declaration of Independence on my phone, but that is a whole different story for a different time and place).

Given all that you can imagine how excited I was when I learned a new word: TOPINAMBOUR!

This is a actually a very common root vegetable

and I know it is silly to call it this

but, I am the person who would rather use

aubergine and courgette.

Topinambour. Sunchokes. Jerusalem artichokes. All the same thing.

I just like using the french word. It does have an interesting history… it translates to “uncouth person”.  The story is something along the lines that the tuber was introduced to Europe at the same time “savages” started immigrating (probably, truly, brought over as slaves) to the area. Because of the simultaneous introduction of the people and the tuber, they were thought to be affiliated somehow and the tuber got its name.

Interesting.  Albeit, tragic, as well.

They are also a sunflower.

I, for one, find it all very interesting.  I like learning all the history of the food we put on our tables.  I just think it’s all pretty cool.

Anyway… the need to be washed.  They don’t need to be peeled.  They can be eaten raw.  They can even be pickled.  In this case, I roasted them and turned them into a soup, adding some potatoes and good spices.

I garnished them with artichoke hearts…

that kind of thing makes me laugh.

I’m kind of on a soup kick right now.  It’s cold. It’s the end of the year and we have all been over-indulging a bit, I’m sure.  I think it’s nice to end the day with a warm cup of soup; a light meal before going to bed.  It helps balance the treats that get sent from friends and neighbors and business acquaintances.

The other benefit of soup… it stretches your dollar.  With a few simple ingredients, a soup can be made and enjoyed for a week or serve an entire room full of guests without breaking the bank.  Another great idea, from Cookie and Kate, is to store them in individual portions, to enjoy at a later date.  I really, really love this idea!

topinambour soup