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The Call Of Cauliflower

Nancy Leson
/
KNKX
Fioretto: Nancy's new favorite cauliflower.

Looks like cauliflower is the new kale.  For a guy who always loved both, it's annoying to be seen as subscribing to a food trend.  On the other hand, I'm not giving the stuff up just because it got fashionable.

Nancy Leson's always been a cauli-lover, too.  Now more than ever since she's discovered a new hybrid.

She found it at the Asian Food Center at 130th Street and State Rte. 99.   "This cauliflower has a beautiful long green stem.  I roasted it on a sheet pan, it was the most delicious I've ever had.  Perfectly sweet, those long green stems, you can eat the whole thing."

Credit Nancy leson / KNKX
/
KNKX
Fioretto cauliflower roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.

The hybrid goes by a variety of names: Fioretto, Biancoli, stick cauliflower, or sweet sprouting cauliflower.  In Japan it's known as karifurore.  Can't find it in your local market?   Grow your own.  I've already ordered my seeds.

"Who are you and what have you done with Stein?"  Nancy was shocked, simply shocked that I'd ever consider trying Kristin Donnelly's vegan Fettuccine Alfredo recipemade of pureed cauliflower, cashews and nutritional yeast.  Well,  I would and I will.  Keep watching this space for a full report.

Riced is nice.  Buy it ready-made in the supermarket or give regular cauliflower a whirl in your food processor.  Just pulse the florets a few times and use it as you would rice or couscous.  Here's how.

"The woman I love got a prize fighter nose, cauliflower ears and a run in her hose." – Bob Dylan

Dick Stein joined KNKX in January 1992. He retired in 2020 after three decades on air. During his storied radio career, he hosted the morning jazz show, co-hosted and produced "Food for Thought" with Nancy Leson and wrote and directed the Jimmy Jazzoid live radio musical comedies and 100 episodes of Jazz Kitchen.