cross-bearing

last week, they had cold, roast french fingerling potatoes with grilled red escarole, parmesan, olive oil, and pepper. i could eat this for days. today, no-name had a vol au vent filled with wild mushroom ragout, medium-rare slices of grilled flatiron steak, a seafood gumbo of prawns, scallops, snapper, and a curried cruciferous salad of broccoflower, broccoli, and cauliflower.

the Cruciferae are a family of flowering plants now known in the official taxonomies as the Brassicaceae -- cruciferous or cross-bearing because of a floral structure common to the family in which the corolla, or inner whorl of petals surrounding the anthers, is usually composed of four petals forming the shape of a cross. this family of plants contains everything from bok choy through broccoli, though what is perhaps more amazing is that broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kale are all cultivars of the same species (Brassica oleraceae) selected for their dramatically different leafing expressions.