Carrots, a favorite of today's health-conscious consumer, has a colorful history of pleasing all kinds of appetites. It's believed carrots have Middle East origin, though they are now produced worldwide. They were first reported in this hemisphere in 1609, in the records of Virginia colonists. As the pioneers moved west, so did the cultivation and consumption of carrots. The bright color and delicate flavor of carrots, a member of the parsley family, gave a tasty contrast to the bland diets of earlier days, and are a staple on present day menus.