Cauliflower Power

Ever notice how once something is recently rediscovered it is then taken up, touted and ballyhooed as though it was newly created? Maybe it is because we become used to things, tastes, foods and even people, forgetting their uniqueness, their nuance. Vegetables seem not to be an exception to this phenomenon. It’s a good thing we’ve got so many adventurous cooks experimenting and re-inventing. It is a comfort to know that what might have become an old-stand-by can take another turn in the limelight.

Like other members of the Brassica family, cauliflower was born in the cabbage patch. But it is thought that that particular cabbage patch was in Cyprus. In fact, it is known to some as Cyprus colewart. Unlike some of its cousins, the floret of the cauliflower isn’t. That is, it really isn’t a floret or a stemmed collection of not yet blossomed flowers. All those little vegetal pillows are called cauliflower curd. That sounds perfectly plausible when the cauliflower in question is white. But cauliflower comes in a rainbow of vibrant colors.

Perhaps having been bred in the Mediterranean, it was a born traveler. Once the Italians and the French got hold of it, they did what they always do and cauliflower was adopted into their respective cuisines. The usual migrations continued with the British taking it to India from where it spread throughout Asia. It sometimes seems that vegetables get around more than most people.

We’ve spoken of our questing chefs and cooks before, however, their inventiveness with cauliflower is really pushing the edges of the proverbial envelope. Now low-carb, gluten-free riced cauliflower is being used to make pizza dough and breads. This is a vegetable unafraid of spice and its (non) florets are even being buffalo-ed. Entire heads are being pureed with garlic and cheese. Non dairy Alfredo sauce has been created from cauliflower. Sort of makes you wonder about how long it took, like finally putting wheels on luggage.

There are several cauliflower recipes on the website for you to check out. Today’s recipe is from our own Market Master, Kay Carroll. She has roasted it whole with a creative spicy blend to give us: Roasted Spiced Cauliflower. It’s tough to keep up around here.