Although it is not strictly a root vegetable, kohl rabi is placed in this group because of its similarity to the turnip. In reality, it is a short-stemmed cabbage, hut the stem has swollen into a round ball. The fact that it is a stem can he seen from the cabbage-like leaves that sprout out [...]

Because kale is a leafy, rather than a headed, brassica, it is much closer than many of the others to the original wild cabbage, and it is, therefore, probably one of the oldest forms. There are several different types, because the name is used to refer to any leafy brassica, including a whole group of [...]

Garlic is a very individual form of onion, characterized by its distinctive smell and flavour. It is widely used throughout the world for cooking and medicinal purposes and has been so for thousands of years. It is thought to have originated in Central Asia, but it can no longer be found in the wild. Even [...]

Endives and chicory (Cichnrium intybus) are very closely related. So close, in fact that they can often be confused, the confusion is not helped by the fact that in France endive refers to what an English-speaking gardener would call chicory, while chicoree frisee is, in fact, the frilly-leaved form of endive. When it comes to [...]

Chinese cabbage is rather like a cos (romaine) lettuce, with crisp, crunchy leaves that can be eaten either raw or cooked. It is also a convenient name under which to group several other oriental greens, such as pak choi and mizuna, in which gardeners are becoming increasingly interested.
Chinese cabbage has been developed over centuries, particulary [...]

Although it is very closely related to the endive, chicory is quite distinct, both in the kitchen and the garden. Both vegetables are salad leaves, both can be hitter and both are useful as winter vegetables, but whereas endive is an annual, chicory is a perennial, even though it is often grown as an annual.
Chicory [...]

Cauliflowers are not the easiest of crops to grow, but they are one of the most rewarding, both in a sense of achievement and in the eating, Like so many of our vegetables, their origins ore rather obscure. The Romans are thought to have cultivated a type of cauliflower, but the vegetable as we know [...]

Many people may wonder if it is worth growing carrots when they are so cheap to buy. The answer must be an emphatic “yes”, fresh carrots, whether old or young, that are taken straight from the ground before being cooked taste infinitely better than shop-bought ones; there is no comparison. You may have to put [...]

Although calabrese (Italian sprouting broccoli) is in many ways very similar to broccoli, it is usually considered as a separate vegetable. Its origins are the same: it originated in the countries of the eastern Mediterranean littoral and in Italy, before moving to the rest of Europe. It is sometimes known as Italian broccoli or American [...]

Brussels sprouts are so called because they are thought to have originated in Belgium, where they are recorded as growing in the mid-18th century. By the beginning of the 19th century they had spread to France and Britain. Even after 200 years of cultivation, Brussels sprouts still seem to be an acquired taste. Not everybody [...]