Winter's vegetables make cookery delightful

While we wait for the fresh local spring crop of veggies — spinach, asparagus, peas, baby turnips, and such — the produce counters at the market beckon with cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and “stored” items like potatoes, onions and carrots.

Though the first three named are admittedly shipped in, they are what we think of as cold-weather vegetables, available pretty much through the winter. I buy these frequently (making sure they are from a consumer-friendly area) and enjoy their heartiness.

Cauliflower is a favorite and, incidentally, I never boil it (or broccoli; instead, I steam cauliflower over boiling water for non-soggy tenderness, and what a difference it makes.