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Happy YASSSletter Thursday Gingis!

When we came up with this edition we seriously couldn’t be more excited. A whole YASSSletter edition dedicated to Edible Garden Flowers given to us by the cool fall breeze. Truly nothing cozier than a set of recipes all from the Brassicaceae family. Brassicaeae is scientific family name for veggies include: broccoli, romanesco, cauliflower, broccoli rabe, broccolini, & so on!

So without further ado, this week is all about our gorgeous Fall Garden Flowers which can be found in abundance at any market at this point in the season!

1. History + Origin: Brassica Family (CRAZY STUFF!)

2. Whole Head Cauliflower

3. Zikki’s Broccoli Salad

4. Orecchiette con Cimi di Rapa

History + Origin: Brassica Family

The Brassicaceae family, also known as the mustard family or cruciferous vegetables, boasts a diverse group of plants that include cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco, kale, cabbage, and many others. Their origin can be traced back to a common ancestor, a wild mustard plant known as Brassica oleracea, which likely originated in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago.

Through selective cultivation by early farmers, various desirable traits were developed over generations. (See the chart above!) This process led to the divergence of Brassica oleracea into distinct cultivars, each with unique characteristics. Over time, humans selectively bred these plants to enhance traits like leafy greens, enlarged flower buds (cauliflower), and thickened stems (kohlrabi).

Is this blowing anyone else’s mind? The cultivation and crossbreeding of these cultivars eventually gave rise to the array of cruciferous vegetables we know today. This remarkable transformation illustrates the power of human-driven evolution and selective breeding in agriculture, shaping a diverse and nutritious family of vegetables.

Whole Head Cauliflower

This is one of my favorite dishes I learned while working with chef Eyal Shani. Eyal is an amazing Israeli chef who taught me the really first steps in the kitchen. One of the most important things I learned from him was how to take a vegetable and give it the respect it deserves. Highlight the beauty of it, and cook it to perfection. Nothing needs to be added to make it better. The simplicity is the key!

Zikki’s Broccoli Salad

This salad is perfect a quick lunch in the middle of the day when you need something fresh and nourishing that doesn’t require a lot of time. Salty steamed broccoli loaded with a simple parsley salad and cover in grated yogurt stone. Feel free to sub in grated parm if you can’t find yogurt stone!

Orecchiette + Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa

Cimi di Rapa is Broccoli Rabe and it is just a misunderstood gloriously delicious and bitter fall green that when married with salty anchovies and fresh pasta is truly the most fantastic of the vegetable kingdom! The recipe is wonderful and effortless because you cook the pasta and broccoli rabe together in the boiling water. Now if you are feeling ambitious we’ve also given you our Orecchiette Pasta Recipe to make from scratch!

Hope you have a weekend full of YASSS! Until next Thursday Gingis.

Love, Ben & Zikki xx

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