The Dutch House of Orange and Carrots
Carrots are not only a delicious and nutritious vegetable, they also have a rich and interesting history. Originally the natural carrot species only grew in a few types of colors, such as black, red, purple, and yellow. But, that all changed in the 16th century when Dutch carrot farmers from Holland, decided to create a new bright orange species to match the color of the House of Orange, which was the name of the ruling noble dynasty of the time. This creation process was accomplished when Dutch agricultural scientists carried out experiments to figure out ways to improve the bitter tasting pale yellow carrot species. They figured out a way to cross breed the natural yellow and red carrot species which contained anthocyanin, to get the first light orange colored species. Further hybridizations of this light orange species eventually led to the creation of the bright orange carrot species, which is the most common species grown today. By the beginning of the 18th century, Holland would become the world's front running carrot cultivators. Aside from the pretty color of the orange carrot species, it also has a much less bitter taste then it's original natural predecessors, thus successfully coupling both aesthetics and practicality.
