The vegetable of the year for 2017 is more than just one vegetable, it’s an entire family, even an entire category. They used to be called cruciferous vegetables, not because of their crunch but because of their small flowers. The four petal flower looks something like a cross, hence the latin name crucifera referring to the crucifixion. Botanists now call them brassicas and farmers call them cole plants. They include all of the vegetables in the cabbage and mustard family, a powerhouse of nutrition and strong flavours. As garden plants they are very well suited to cooler climate, and are generally pretty easy to grow. They include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, collards, bok choy, nappa, kale, kohlrabi, radish, tatsoi, turnip, and rutabaga and more.…
