I love turnips, too. The family favorite is turnip puff - a great side dish. Just made another batch of Smoked Paprika and Rutabaga Bisque with the recipe from this board, included below as I can't find it here any longer. Also want to try Gordon Ramsay's Caramelised Swede and Cardamom Soup from the TimesOnline.

Turnip Puff

3 c turnips, hot mashed
2 tbsps butter
2 eggs, well beaten
3 tbsps flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c bread or cracker crumbs, buttered

1. Combine turnips and butter.

2. Add eggs, & beat thoroughly.

3. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & pepper. Mix 'til well blended.

4. Turn into a greased casserole, and sprinkle w/buttered crumbs.

5. Bake 375 until top is lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

6. Serve hot

Note: tastes just as good as leftovers if you're fortunate enough to have any left...

Smoked Paprika and Rutabaga Bisque
TIME Total: 50 mins
Active: 20 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds rutabaga, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 4 1/4 cups)
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups half-and-half
2 1/2 teaspoons high-quality smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once butter foams, add onion and celery, and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add rutabaga and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until rutabaga is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Add half-and-half, paprika, and white pepper and stir to combine.
Allow soup to cool slightly, then purée using an immersion blender until smooth. Correct seasoning.

Caramelised Swede and Cardamom Soup

A little cardamom in this soup gives it a lovely, warming fragrance without overpowering the flavour of the caramelised swede. If you like, serve the soup in coffee cups instead of bowls, as it can be quite filling and, after all, there are two more courses to come. You can substitute the swedes for turnips, which will work just as well.

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
Few sprigs of thyme
30g unsalted butter, cut into
small pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-8 cardamom pods
2 swedes, peeled and chopped into
small pieces
2 tbsp honey
1.5-2l hot chicken stock
150ml double cream
Grating of nutmeg, to serve

1 Heat a large pan with the olive oil. Stir in the onion and celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the thyme and a few knobs of butter and seasoning.

2 Crush the cardamom pods with the back of a knife and add to the onions and celery. Sweat the onions for 5 more minutes until they are soft and translucent, but not browned.

3 Stir in the chopped swede, drizzle over the honey and cover the pan with a lid. This will encourage condensation and prevent the onions from burning. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the swedes have softened and caramelised. If they do catch, simply add a little water.

4 Pour in enough hot chicken stock to cover the vegetables and let simmer for a few more minutes. Stir in the cream and
adjust the seasoning.

5 In batches, liquidise the soup in a blender until really smooth, adding a few knobs of butter for a velvety finish. (When liquidising the hot soup, fill the blender no more than halfway and release one corner of the lid. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth. This will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions). Pass the soup through a fine sieve, pushing down with the back of a ladle, and discard the solids.

6 Reheat the soup and adjust the consistency, adding more cream to thicken or more hot stock to thin it down. Season again to taste and serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and a grating of nutmeg.

I've bought various sizes of old crocks in great condition at antique stores, yard sales and flea markets. Be sure to check for cracks: an easy way to be sure is to tap the crock with a piece of metal - such as the back of a spoon - and listen. If the crock is intact, you'll hear a ringing sound, 'ping, ping' but if it's cracked you'll hear a dull sound, 'thunk, thunk.'

While I have a huge crock, I find that using several smaller ones is more convenient and easier to manage.

If cost of the container is an issue, try using a large food grade plastic pail, available for next to nothing from Bulk Barn or other such stores. You'll get good results.

I like using a Denby stoneware plate, as it is non-porous, and I found one that's a great fit - nearly as round as the opening. You can use a Cambrian Shield rock (it doesn't dissolve) in the kraut. Wash it well, and rinse well before using, then reserve it for future batches. Alternatively, fill a large glass preserving jar with water, and use that as your weight.

Good luck!

The Pfaltzgraff cleaner will remove metal marking like a darn! (Easiest when you follow their instructions: apply the creamy cleaner, and let it stand for 15 minutes. Remove cleaner with sponge or soft cloth, then rinse well before using. I've used it on china, stoneware, and Corningware, as it's easy - needs little effort - and effective. One bottle lasts a long time.

The marks will come again with use, but you'll find them easy to remove.

I've added several items over the past few years, and after much use, they still look great - and work beyond my demanding expectations!
In the (unlikely) event that you have something stuck to the inside of a stainless pot or pan, and the vinegar/water method fails you, fill the vessel with hot water, add a dishwasher detergent tablet, and let it stand overnight. You'll find that you can drain off the water, and easily wipe off the tenacious foodstuff in the morning. Good tip for when all else fails...

I'm meeting with colleagues for dinner later this month, after a trade show at the International Centre. We would enjoy a smaller restaurant with delicious food - any suggestions? Thanks!

I'm using Demeyere cookware and love it: it's made for induction cooking as well as all other forms. Imagine your wish list for perfect cookware, and you're describing Demeyere: they've already made the ideal!

In order to use induction, you must have cookware that is attracted by a magnet. All Clad in the 18/10 stainless works, but you do not get full induction power, since the attraction isn't strong - ditto for all cookware not labelled class induction, a good issue to check on.

Once you've tried using it, you won't want to settle for anything less.

See their website: http://www.demeyere.be/ for more information, as well as a complete description of all their products.