Broccoli Romanesco

I am the biggest fan of this variety of Broccoli. It has a very sweet taste, not quite cauliflower, not really broccoli. The above picture was taken in Dec. 2005. In January I cut the main head out. Now, in the Watsonville garden, when I harvested it last year, we pulled up and composted the plant. I didn't do that in my garden and much to my surprise, the smaller stalks lower down sprung up.


Here it is at the end of Feb 2006. The new heads are turning a bit purple and looking like they are about to flower, but they remain very tasty. But the one that I'm really enjoying has the small heads extending themselves up in order to bloom. The flower head is enjoyable, but I find the stalks really tender and sweet. I can sit out there and nibble them right in the garden. It is reminiscent of broccoli raab but having a cauliflower sweetness. But they are at their end for this year. The "grey waxy winter" aphids got into them. I have a devil of a time trying to discourage those type as it's already winter and a blast of water doesn't deter them much. And I have a hard time keeping ladybugs in the cool winter/spring months.