Fruits of my labour: Cauliflower

I’ve got into the habit of late of planting just a couple of varieties of the identical plant at regular intervals, so that I don’t get lots of the same plant fruiting at the same time.  I don’t have a very big garden, but I have set aside room for growing 13 larger vege at a time, along side the plants that don’t take up so much room.

I really like the idea of sharing plants with friends.  If you can find a fellow keen gardener in your neighbourhood where you each buy a punnet (or better still grow from seed) of one variety of vege and swap a few plants with each other, then you can save a lot of money and wastage of your crops from being sick of eating the same vege every night. 

This weeks vege that was ready to pick: two good-sized heads of cauliflower that I planted out about 18 weeks ago.  Cauliflower takes longer to grow than other Brassica.   

They also grow with big leaves pointing towards the sky that makes it look like nothing but leaf is growing.  I have known people to pull them out because of this, but just a week before the cauliflower is ready to pick the leaves will open up displaying it’s head.  You don’t even have to grow the old school white cauliflower these days; there are also varieties that are green, orange and purple (I just replaced last weeks picking with the purple variety). I certainly couldn’t have it every night, but cauliflower is a really delicious vege.  My favourite way to cook it is to steam it until it’s cooked but still firm and cover with lots of creamy cheese sauce (dinner last Wednesday)!!   

This weekend I’m going to cook the Indian dish Aloo gobi which uses cauliflower and potato as its main ingredients.

All Brassica (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage etc) grow really well in the cold and there are special varieties that can be planted out all year round.

This weeks challenge:  Find someone this weekend who can be your ‘Vege buddy’, one buy a punnet of broccoli and one a punnet of cauliflower, and get swapping!!