By Amy Grant During medieval times, aristocrats dined upon copious quantities of meat washed down with wine. Amongst this gluttony of riches, a few modest vegetables made an appearance, often root vegetables. A staple of these was skirret, also known as crummock. Never heard of growing skirret plants? Me either. So, what is a skirret plant and what other crummock plant info can we dig up? What is a Skirret Plant? According to the 1677 Systema Horticulurae, or the Art of Gardening, gardener John Worlidge referred to skirret as “the sweetest, whitest and most pleasant of roots.” Native to China, skirret cultivation was introduced to Europe in classical times, brought to the British Isles by the Romans. Skirret cultivation was common in monastic gardens, gradually spreading in popularity and eventually making its way onto the tables of medieval aristocracy. The word skirret hails from the Dutch “suikerwortel,” literally meaning “sugar
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