Tips & Techniques Ingredients All About Autumn Root Vegetables
Root vegetables may not be the most attractive-looking specimens in the produce bin, but these humble tubers—beets, parsnips and carrots, among them—are winning the hearts of restaurant chefs across the country. And you'll find they hold a delicious place in your own kitchen as well.

Autumn is prime time for savoring these hardy roots because the frosty weather transforms their starches into sugars. Root vegetables are especially suited to roasting and braising—cooking techniques that intensify the vegetables' natural sweetness. You can also simmer them in soups and stews, or steam and mash them for side dishes. However they're prepared, root vegetables will add a sweet note to your autumn table.