GNIFF CARROT

A very rare landrace from the Tessin region of Switzerland. These amethyst-colored carrots were rediscovered in the 1950s in the picturesque Alps village of Bre, where local women grew them for sale at farmers markets. “Gniff” is translated to “purple” in the local dialect. Being a landrace, this carrot expresses a range of colors, from its purple exterior to its violet-hued interior. This is a slow-growing storage carrot that is traditionally pickled; locals steam, slice and preserve them in olive oil, parsley and garlic. A similar type was last described by Vilmorin in1856 as “sweet, purple carrot with a pale yellow heart.”

“Description courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds/rareseeds “.