Things are Spiraling Out of Control!

What to do?   What to do?  Let me clarify.  I’m about finished harvesting our Romanesco.  Romanesco is also called Romanesco Broccoli or Roman Cauliflower.  It’s called this because it originated in Italy.  This is the second year I’ve planted it, and it is a prolific producer!  Not only does it produce well, but it is simply striking to look at!

A nice head of Romanesco

Romanesco is chartreuse in color and really stands out in the garden as it contrasts against the other green items.  Apart from the eye-catching color, there’s another thing that makes you do a double-take.  Romanesco is made up of spirals – logarithmic spirals.  What I mean is, each bud is a spiral made up of other buds which are spirals which are made up of other buds which are spirals, which are…  Well, you get the point…

Spirals upon spirals upon spirals...

Since it is a brassica, it is a close relative of the broccoli and cauliflower.  I find Romanesco to be a little crunchier than a cauliflower, with a taste approximating a cross between broccoli and cauliflower.  I walked out to the garden with a sharp knife and a large stainless steel colander.  In no time, I more than filled the colander up!

I need a bigger bucket!

As I was walking back in to bring them to the kitchen, I was looking at the bounty from “le jardin,” and I just had to set the colander down and admire the color.  The sunlight filtering through the blooming pear tree just made the Romaneso light up like a neon sign.  I’m sure my old camera didn’t really do it justice, but at least you can see a little bit of what I’m talking about:

Beautiful Chartreuse Romanesco

I’ve talked a lot about what the Romanesco looks like, but very little about what it tastes like.  It tastes great!  We normally cut it up, stems and all, and arrange it on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and chopped garlic, and then roast in the oven.  Talk about good!  You can eat the leaves of the Romanesco as well, roasted in the same fashion.  However, the cows were begging by the fence and I obliged them with the leaves of the vegetables.  They were very appreciative.

Roasted Romanesco

If you are interested in trying this psychedelic vegetable in your garden and watching things around you spiral out of control, this is where I purchase my seeds: http://www.rareseeds.com/romanesco-italia-broccoli/