Boil the turnips, then drain: Peel and cut the turnips into large chunks. In a large saucepan of boiling water, add the tablespoon of salt, the peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves.
You may want to tie the spices into a sachet or cheesecloth bag — this makes it easier to remove them later.
Boil turnips until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and remove the spices.
Add cream, simmer, then mash: Return the turnips to the pot they boiled in and add the cream. Turn the burner to medium-low. Bring this to a gentle simmer and mash the turnips with a potato masher.
Add the white pepper, the teaspoon of salt and freshly grated nutmeg to taste and serve at once.
