makes vegetables permanently stringy, and
the only remedy is to pull the fibers from the
tissue.
One last cell wall component is seldom
significant in food. Lignin is also a
strengthening agent and very resistant to
breakdown; it’s the defining ingredient of
wood. Most vegetables are harvested well in
advance of appreciable lignin formation, but
occasionally we do deal with woody asparagus
and broccoli stems. The only remedy for this
kind of toughness is to peel away the lignified
areas.
Color
Plant pigments are one of life’s glories! The
various greens of forest and field, the purples
and yellows and reds of fruits and flowers —
these colors speak to us of vitality, renewal,
and the sheer pleasure of sensation. Some
pigments are designed to catch our eye, some