distant botanical relatives share elements of
its biochemistry and therefore its flavor; these
include capers and papayas (pp. 409, 381).
The Flavor Chemistry of the Cabbage
Family Like onions, cabbages and their
relatives stockpile two kinds of defensive
chemicals in their tissues: flavor precursors,
and enzymes that act on the precursors to
liberate the reactive flavors. When the plant’s
cells are damaged, the two stockpiles are
mixed, and the enzymes start a chain of
reactions that generates bitter, pungent, and
strong-smelling compounds. The special
cabbage-family system is effective enough to
have inspired a notorious man-made version,
the mustard gas of World War I. And the
cabbage family turns out to have parts of the
onion defensive system (p. 310) as well; these
contribute some sulfur aromatics to the
overall family flavor.
The stockpiled defensive precursors in the