Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Invasion of the Romanesco Fractal Cauliflowers

This spring when we were going through the seed catalogs I came across the most incredible looking vegetable I had ever seen. Romanesco Cauliflowers. They looked fantastic! Like the food the invaders from Mars would enjoy when they weren't installing brain controlling devices on to the backs of earthlings necks. So, of course I had to order the seeds. From High Mowing.
I planted them in March. It didn't take too long for them to sprout.
I planted them in the garden and was excited for the appearance of these unique and apparently tender delicacies that were best eaten raw (according to some online sources) though I have my doubts about that. Eventually, they grew up into these huge leaves and have remained like that for MONTHS!
After weeks of babying them through the hot (not complaining) summer and lavishing them with water with no sign of them ever turning into the sci-fi veggie of the seed packet. I'd had it. Something had gone wrong and they weren't growing. I headed over to the bed where they were planted and was going to rip them out of the garden and turn them into compost when... I looked down and saw something strange...
Was there something happening after all? Had they read my mind and sprung into action to save themselves? I had a closer look.
Yes... there, beneath the leaves, something was slowly emerging.
It reminded me of something:
The next day, more of them had surfaced.
It shouldn't be too long, now, till we are able to eat these things. We hope. I've seen enough movies to know not all plant life is benign.
                      
Especially when it looks like it came from outer space!

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