Brassicas

The Brassica family is known for the slightly bitter taste of its greens and includes many of our favorite vegetables. The venerable cabbage – red, green, savoy, napa, arrowhead, etc. – is available in one or several of its incarnations from June through April. Tender, sweet broccoli enjoys cooler weather. It’s available for a brief window in the spring and is a reliable staple from September through December, when you can find it along with white, purple, yellow, green, and Romanesco cauliflower. Brussels sprouts, which take all summer to line up their edible buds, are available starting in October and are harvested through December, if we’re lucky. Kohlrabi is also available nearly all season long. For leafy greens in the brassica family, see the “greens” section.