# Name this vegetable



## pacanis (Jan 18, 2014)

Sorry, no pic. And I was going to take one in case I forgot the name, which I did 

A new to me veggie. It was by the radicchio. It was bright green and shiny, like an unripe tomoato, but it reminded me more of tomatillos. And they were in vine clusters, like on the vine tomatoes.
Does anyone have a guess? If you say it I'll know it


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## skilletlicker (Jan 18, 2014)

Sounds like a beet but I don't remember the variety?


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## skilletlicker (Jan 18, 2014)

Wait, not beet, I mean eggplant.


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## Andy M. (Jan 18, 2014)

Does it look like one of these?  Cook's Thesaurus: Eggplants


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## GotGarlic (Jan 18, 2014)

There are green eggplants, so that could be it, although they're not usually sold in clusters. 

Tomatillos do grow in clusters, and sometimes they're fairly large, like 4-5 inches across. Usually they have a papery covering on them that needs to be removed.

And there are tomatoes that are ripe when green. I've seen more and more heirloom varieties in the grocery stores, so that's a possibility, too.


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## pacanis (Jan 18, 2014)

Thanks for the guesses.
If it was a form of beet it did not say so. It had a longish name, *maybe* starting with a p, or a p was in it.
And it does not look like the pic, Andy.

It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Maybe Phinz would know, lol.


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## pacanis (Jan 18, 2014)

They were by the other oddball stuff.
By the radicchio, celeriac, funny little cabbages...
GG, the tomatillos you get are much larger than the ones I get. These things were about 2" in size, which is the size tomatillos in the stores up here.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 18, 2014)

Could it have been a poblano pepper?







I've seen smaller and larger tomatillos, usually the smaller ones, but occasionally bigger ones.


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## pacanis (Jan 18, 2014)

No. That I _do_ know what it is, lol.
Thanks for the guesses.


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## skilletlicker (Jan 18, 2014)

I see on Andy's link that I was thinking of Thai eggplants.  They've been next to the radicchio, endive and such at the local Kroger lately.


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## pacanis (Jan 18, 2014)

None of those names ring a bell.


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## taxlady (Jan 18, 2014)

Was it chayote?






Chayote - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Dawgluver (Jan 18, 2014)

Can you draw us a pic, Pac?


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 19, 2014)

Are you sure it wasn't Brussels sprouts? Sometimes they are sold in clusters on a stem.


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## larry_stewart (Jan 19, 2014)

thai pea eggplant ?


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## larry_stewart (Jan 19, 2014)

or maybe one of those weird cauliflowers ( I know its not shiny, but its clustered and bright green)


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## Somebunny (Jan 19, 2014)

Could it be Genip?

This is actually a fruit


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## Somebunny (Jan 19, 2014)

On second thought I think it has to be Thai or pea eggplant


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## cara (Jan 19, 2014)

physalis? Well, but they are rather yellow than green...


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## Rocklobster (Jan 19, 2014)

Are you sure you weren't in the sporting goods department?


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## cara (Jan 19, 2014)

Rock, that might be, but they are not really shiny.....


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 19, 2014)

How about a winter fruit called a fuyu persimmon?


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Rocklobster said:


> Are you sure you weren't in the sporting goods department?


 
 Good one


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

It looked like a cross between thai pea eggplant and cheyote.
None of the names are ringing a bell though.


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Got it!

From Weird Vegetables You've Probably Never Heard Of (PHOTOS)

"Kohlrabi
A relative of wild cabbage, this unique-looking vegetable has been hailed as one of the 150 healthiest foods on Earth. It is most commonly consumed in India, and is a staple in the Kashmiri diet. Pretty much everything on this plant is edible. Fry up the root for some kohlrabi fries, toss the leaves in a salad, or chomp on the crisp, juicy stems for a low-calorie snack."

My saying it came in clusters wasn't any help. It looked like clusters in the veggetable bin though. Especially with those funky stems all tangled up. I don't recall seeing leaves. They may have been trimmed.

Anyway, for something different, I was thinking of picking up a vegetable I've never had every week (or so) and giving it a go. I got the idea after talking with Katy and her preparing celeriac last week. She made it sound like something I'd like to try. And I saw celeriac (celery root) in Giant Eagle yesterday, too.
There are lots of veggies I've never eaten or even seen until the new GE got this large produce section... hmmm... Pacanis' Personal Vegetable Challenge...  
Not 

Thanks for all the guesses everyone.


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## cara (Jan 19, 2014)

Kohlrabi? I'd never thought of that...
I love it, here in G it's  very common winter vegetable...
but where is the p...? ;o)

I prefer it raw, but you have to take care, depending in the sort it may have "woody" parts... you feel it, if you cut it.. just cut them out and eat the rest.
You can also prepare them with a cream sauce..


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

P... K... it's all good 

How do you pick a nice one, Cara?
What do you look for? firm, soft?


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## cara (Jan 19, 2014)

not to big... sweet smell... they must be firm, can't be otherwise.. not to much leaves/stems on it, 'cause this is where it gets "woody".. that's a direct german-english-translation, don't know if there is a proper english word...


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## larry_stewart (Jan 19, 2014)

I like it raw too.  The best comparison I can give as far as taste and texture goes would be a broccoli stem.  if you peel a broccoli stem and eat the inner part, to me , it tastes and feels similar to a kohlrabi that is peeled.  Crisp, mild cabbagy flavor ( never knew cabbage had 2 B's until this moment .  Guess you learn something new everyday..


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2014)

Next time, take a picture.


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Thanks for the tips, Cara, Larry.

Yes, Andy, but a picture isn't worth a couple dozen posts ;^)


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Thanks for the tips, Cara, Larry.
> 
> Yes, Andy, but a picture isn't worth a couple dozen posts ;^)



That's true.  You would have had your answer in one post.  Where's the fun in that?


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> That's true. You would have had your answer in one post. Where's the fun in that?


 
I would have had the answer right in the picture, as I would have included the name tag 

Have you ever had it, Andy?


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> I would have had the answer right in the picture, as I would have included the name tag
> 
> Have you ever had it, Andy?




No I haven't.  It sounds interesting.  I may give it a try.  SO not one to experiment but as it's a side dish and not the whole meal she may be more willing.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 19, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> No I haven't.  It sounds interesting.  I may give it a try.  SO not one to experiment but as it's a side dish and not the whole meal she may be more willing.



It is very low in carbs, that might be your selling point.


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

Hmm, I never thought of eating them raw. I'll have to try them again.

Roch, I loved your pic


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> ...
> Anyway, for something different, I was thinking of picking up a vegetable I've never had every week (or so) and giving it a go. I got the idea after talking with Katy and her preparing celeriac last week. She made it sound like something I'd like to try. And I saw celeriac (celery root) in Giant Eagle yesterday, too.
> There are lots of veggies I've never eaten or even seen until the new GE got this large produce section... hmmm... Pacanis' Personal Vegetable Challenge...
> Not
> ...



I like your idea of picking up a new-to-you vegetable every week or so. I might start doing that. We can start a "vegi of the day" or something similar, thread.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 19, 2014)

Huh. I don't consider kohlrabi weird. I don't see it in the supermarket often, however, I buy a lot of it in the farmers market during the summer.

My favorite way to eat them is to peel away the woody outside, slice it in 1/4" rounds (if you have a larger head, you can half or quarter it first), steam it, and toss with a little butter and salt. I think they're pretty yummy. The flavor is kind of like a mild cabbage or, as Larry says, a broccoli stem.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

Oh!  Carnations!  LOL!   Dad had planted a border of pink carnations for Mom, the seeds were mislabeled and they got a kohlrabi border instead.

I think they taste more like turnip and I will only eat them raw.  Julienne in a slaw, they are good.


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Oh!  Carnations!  LOL!   Dad had planted a border of pink carnations for Mom, the seeds were mislabeled and they got a kohlrabi border instead.
> 
> I think they taste more like turnip and I will only eat them raw.  Julienne in a slaw, they are good.




I bought them once and thought they tasted more like turnip too. IMHO they are kinda overpriced for something that tastes like turnip.


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> ...I think they taste more like *turnip*...





taxlady said:


> I bought them once and thought they tasted more like *turnip* too...




Scratching another weird vegetable off my list.  Not a fan of turnips.


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Anyway, for something different, I was thinking of picking up a vegetable I've never had every week (or so) and giving it a go. I got the idea after talking with Katy and her preparing celeriac last week. She made it sound like something I'd like to try. And I saw celeriac (celery root) in Giant Eagle yesterday, too.


Mrs D will cube the Kohlrabi and steam it like Steve does. Then she serves it with a garlic cream sauce. And for Celeriac, she makes a mean creamed Celeriac soup.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 19, 2014)

I like this idea of trying a new vegetable, or any food, each week. 

The problem I have is with the information that people provide about the "new" food.  If they say it tastes like chicken I figure I might as well stick with chicken, if they say it tastes like cabbage, I might as well stick with cabbage.  

I guess I'm too cheap to be curious about a food that is 3 or 4 times more expensive than the food it tastes like!


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## cara (Jan 19, 2014)

Kohlrabi is as common as carrots during winter here in G. As I said, I almost always it them raw, like the sweet cabbagy flavor...
And German breeds don't taste like turnips.. never ever..


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Well I've never eaten turnips either, so wouldn't have a clue if they tasted like a turnip or not. 

That's funny, Fi. Talk about mislabeling.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Well I've never eaten turnips either, so wouldn't have a clue if they tasted like a turnip or not.
> 
> That's funny, Fi. Talk about mislabeling.



Looked a bit better than the Indian Corn he let me plant in the planter by the front door...


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## Dawgluver (Jan 19, 2014)

PF!  Baby Bro planted pumpkin seeds in Mom's flower garden in front of the house one year, they took over and smothered her peonies.

I find kohlrabi to be much milder than turnips or rhutabegas.  Delicious thin sliced or matchsticked and eaten raw, nice on a relish tray with dip too.  You could use it in coleslaw, adds a nice crunch.

Keep in mind that I despise Brussels sprouts, thankfully, kohlrabi tastes nothing like them IMO.


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> I like this idea of trying a new vegetable, or any food, each week.
> 
> The problem I have is with the information that people provide about the "new" food.  If they say it tastes like chicken I figure I might as well stick with chicken, if they say it tastes like cabbage, I might as well stick with cabbage.
> 
> *I guess I'm too cheap to be curious about a food that is 3 or 4 times more expensive than the food it tastes like!*


That's why I refused to buy celeriac for a long time. I'm glad it has become less "exotic" and the price has come down.

I am very familiar with celeriac from Denmark. It's a cheap root vegi there. If you buy a "soup package" of fresh vegis, it usually has carrot, celeriac, leek and/or onion, parsnip, might have a cabbage wedge.

And why is leek so expensive? I have this sneaky suspicion that the Irish wouldn't have come up with leek and potato soup if leek had been an expensive vegi.


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## Somebunny (Jan 19, 2014)

Ah! kohlrabi!  I've never seen it in the store.  I was introduced to it years ago by a fellow gardener.  I planted some for a few years.  I never thought if as exotic, and have only eaten it raw(mild flavor, crunchy texture), good for dipping.  I think I will have to  plant some again, so I can try them cooked!  Thanks PAC!


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

That's what I'm here for, Somebunny.
I'm glad my limited experience with produce could jar a few memories


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## Zhizara (Jan 19, 2014)

Well, I'm just jealous.  In my local stores, I'm lucky just to find the basics. Greens, yes, but turnips, no.  Nothing fancy.


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

Trust me, Z, I'd never see this in the town grocery store in a million years.


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## cave76 (Jan 19, 2014)

I'm going to go with pea eggplant or tomatillo. (Tomatillos come in all sizes and are twiny.)


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## Mad Cook (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Sorry, no pic. And I was going to take one in case I forgot the name, which I did
> 
> A new to me veggie. It was by the radicchio. It was bright green and shiny, like an unripe tomoato, but it reminded me more of tomatillos. And they were in vine clusters, like on the vine tomatoes.
> Does anyone have a guess? If you say it I'll know it


Were they striped? - "Green Zebra" heritage tomatoes
Green and a bit mis-shapen (although if grown for the commercial market they might have been selected carefully)? - "German Green" heritage toms
 "Lime Green Salad"
 "Green Giant" 
 are just a few of several other green heritage varieties or they may have been ordinary un-ripe tomatoes. Not brilliant for eating raw but cooked they have a following and some of us (well, me at least) make green tomato chutney from unripe ones so perhaps there is a market for them.

If I see anything in the greengrocer's that I don't recognise I ask. (Doesn't work with supermarkets though.)


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

He already figured out it was kohlrabi.


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## cave76 (Jan 19, 2014)

taxlady said:


> He already figured out it was kohlrabi.



Kohlrabi is twiny???? In 'vine clusters'????? Silly me for reading the original post.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 19, 2014)

taxlady said:


> He already figured out it was kohlrabi.


Really? The original description didn't sound a bit like it.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

I went out on a limb, okay it was a strong limb and bought two veggies I am not used to eating.  I bought A turnip, a small one, have peeled it and am enjoying it raw, I will steam the rest of it and see how that goes.  And baby broccoli, will lightly steam that, although it is quite tasty raw.

I also bought a half pound of kale salad from the deli.  It has cranberries, walnuts and apple chunks in it.  I'm about to find out if I like it.


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

cave76 said:


> Kohlrabi is twiny???? In 'vine clusters'????? Silly me for reading the original post.


 
Silly isn't a word I would use.



Mad Cook said:


> Really? The original description didn't sound a bit like it.


 
I didn't realize you shopped in my store and saw what it looked like.

You can always tell the members who don't read through a thread and see the original question was answered. Can't you? 
Must be a slow day.


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## taxlady (Jan 19, 2014)

cave76 said:


> Kohlrabi is twiny???? In 'vine clusters'????? Silly me for reading the original post.


Have a look at his post. Pac's post with answer, including pix


Mad Cook said:


> Really? The original description didn't sound a bit like it.


No one guessed. I guess no one thought so.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

Pac's pic made it look scarier than the FSM...and very twiney...


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

What's FSM, Fi.

And they did look scary. Like something that had been left to sit too long and sprouted, lol.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

The Flying Spaghetti Monster


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The Flying Spaghetti Monster


 
 That's hilarious!
And not just because it actually looks like the stuff, but because I can picture a piece of bacon in every appendage because of my avatar


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

I thought you would appreciate it.


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## Andy M. (Jan 19, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The Flying Spaghetti Monster




Thanks for that. It's fantastic!


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## pacanis (Jan 19, 2014)

I'm still trying to correlate the decline of pirates to global warming


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

pacanis said:


> I'm still trying to correlate the decline of pirates to global warming



Okay...now you have me working on it.


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## tinlizzie (Jan 19, 2014)

I just finished a purple kohlrabi from the farmer's market.  Tastes the same as the green ones, which I've only ever tried raw, never cooked.  The taste and texture do remind me of broccoli stems or jicama.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 19, 2014)

You guys are a stitch. Kohlrabi, turnips, exotic?!? My grandma grew these things in her garden back in the 60s and I've been eating them my entire life, so I guess I never gave them much thought. 

My little brother used to call Kohlrabi "Martian heads" and refused to eat them. 

I kind of like Flying Spaghetti Monster as a description. Seems fitting. 

By the way, they also taste great in a bechamel sauce.


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## Somebunny (Jan 19, 2014)

tinlizzie said:


> I just finished a purple kohlrabi from the farmer's market.  Tastes the same as the green ones, which I've only ever tried raw, never cooked.  The taste and texture do remind me of broccoli stems or jicama.




Lizzie, I was going to liken the taste to Jicama, but  I thought adding another "exotic" veg to the mix might be too confusing!  Lol!!!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 19, 2014)

I was actually amazed when I went to the store today, not being able to find something "exotic" in the produce section.  Extravagant, yes...but not exotic.


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## Cooking Goddess (Jan 19, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Oh!  Carnations!  LOL!   Dad had planted a border of pink carnations for Mom, the seeds were mislabeled and they got a kohlrabi border instead...


That's funny PF!

Pac, my Mom used to grow kohlrabi when I was a kid. I haven't had it for a long time so I can't say I remember what it tastes like. They do carry that (along with all kinds of other unusual produce) at my regular grocery store. Now I need to pick a bunch up so I can refresh my memory.


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## larry_stewart (Jan 20, 2014)

I avoided them for years, just cause I didnt really know what Id do with it.  Last year, when I was starting up my garden ( trying to get an early start)  I went to the local nursery, and all that had at the time was cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and kohlrabi.  I figured, let me get it so my garden looks fool this early on in the season.
It turns out, that they grew better than the other plants.  They were about the size of my fist.

I then actually made an asian- like salad with them , and it was great .


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## cave76 (Jan 20, 2014)

Now I get  it!------- they were the Flying Twisty Viney Spaghetti Monsters that fly in Clusters.

Why didn't you say so?


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## CWS4322 (Jan 20, 2014)

taxlady said:


> Hmm, I never thought of eating them raw. I'll have to try them again.
> 
> Roch, I loved your pic


I only eat kohlrabi raw. I never think of cooking them. We grow the purple ones in the summer (and some green ones). Grated they are great as a slaw.


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## pacanis (Jan 20, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I only eat kohlrabi raw. I never think of cooking them. We grow the purple ones in the summer (and some green ones). Grated they are great as a slaw.


 
What part of it do you grate, stems _and_ body?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I only eat kohlrabi raw. I never think of cooking them. We grow the purple ones in the summer (and some green ones). Grated they are great as a slaw.



Disclaimer!!!  You specifically grow purple vegetables, as many as you can find


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## pacanis (Jan 20, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I only eat kohlrabi raw. I never think of cooking them. We grow the purple ones in the summer (and some green ones). Grated they are great as a slaw.


 


pacanis said:


> What part of it do you grate, stems _and_ body?


 
Or the leaves, too? It's all edible...


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Or the leaves, too? It's all edible...



I had to ditch the beet greens I got with my beets yesterday because Smudge got to them and had them shredded before I caught her.  Granted, she got her fill of beet greens.


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## pacanis (Jan 20, 2014)

Cats and greens...
Maybe CW feeds her kohlrabi greens to her chickens.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 20, 2014)

pacanis said:


> Or the leaves, too? It's all edible...


I eat the leaves (steamed) or chop them up and feed them to the girls. And yes, the more purple veggies I can grow, the happier I am! Which reminds me, time to start the eggplant seeds.


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## pacanis (Jan 20, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I eat the leaves (steamed) or chop them up and feed them to the girls. And yes, the more purple veggies I can grow, the happier I am! Which reminds me, time to start the eggplant seeds.


 
So... which did you use for the coleslaw?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

The bulb,  the leaves are steamed or fed to the chickens.


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## pacanis (Jan 20, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The bulb, the leaves are steamed or fed to the chickens.


 
So CW doesn't do anything with the stems? The stems might all weigh more than the bulb


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

Not sure how well they steam or if they are too woody.  Julienned, the bulb would be good in coleslaw.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 20, 2014)

pacanis said:


> So CW doesn't do anything with the stems? The stems might all weigh more than the bulb



You need to peel them, Pac.  Which means the weird twisty things come off too, and you peel the bulb.  They're thin skinned, unlike jicama, which is a root, but also needs to be peeled and has more of a turnip-like skin.  Think of peeling broccoli stems, or the bottom of asparagus spears, that kind of skin.

I'd never heard of eating the stems, but what the heck, why not?


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## pacanis (Jan 21, 2014)

The stems make up such a large part I thought they would be more used than the bulb.


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## cave76 (Jan 21, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> And yes, the more purple veggies I can grow, the happier I am!



Strange factoid: I found that my chickens and the wild turkeys that sometimes flew over the fence would NOT eat any (greens) that were red or purple. Like Red Leaf Lettuce etc.


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## Addie (Jan 21, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> You need to peel them, Pac.  Which means the weird twisty things come off too, and you peel the bulb.  They're thin skinned, unlike jicama, which is a root, but also needs to be peeled and has more of a turnip-like skin.  Think of peeling broccoli stems, or the bottom of asparagus spears, that kind of skin.
> 
> *I'd never heard of eating the stems, but what the heck, why not*?




Are the poisonous like the rhubarb leaves?


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## tinlizzie (Jan 21, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I only eat kohlrabi raw. I never think of cooking them. We grow the purple ones in the summer (and some green ones). Grated they are great as a slaw.



Skittering off to the side of the thread subject -- CW, have you grown that gorgeous purple cauliflower yet?  And burgundy beans?


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