that derive from the Latin word caulis,
meaning “stem” or “stalk,” the part of the
plant from which the edible portions
emerge. Cabbage itself comes from the
Latin caput, meaning “head”: it’s the one
form in which the stem is reduced to a
short stub, and the leaves form a head
around it.
Thanks to the fact that they share some
enzyme systems, mixtures of the onion and
cabbage families can produce surprising
effects. Add bits of raw scallion to some
cooked and therefore nonpungent mustard
greens, and the scallion enzymes will
transform heat-stable mustard precursors into
pungent products: so the bits of scallion taste
more mustardy than the greens themselves!
Cabbage, Kale, Collards, Brussels Sprouts
The original wild cabbage is native to the
Mediterranean seaboard, and this salty, sunny
habitat accounts for the thick, succulent, waxy