I've seen this flower so many times and have been trying to figure out what it's called. I am also very curious as to why the center of the flower is a different colour than the rest.
According to Cornucopia II - A Sourcebook of Edible Plants (Kampong Publications) Roots are sometimes cooked and eaten as a vegetable or added to soups and stews. The aromatic seeds are used for flavoring stews, soups, fish chowders, and savory sauces. Dried and roasted roots are ground and utilized as a substitute for coffee. Flower clusters can be French-fried into a carrot-flavored gourmet treat.