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_Fennel, Celery, And Other Stem Vegetables |
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Stems fulfill two functions for a plant. They hold the upper parts of the plant aloft, exposing leaves to sunlight, flowers to pollinating insects, and fruits to passing animals. And they contain the circulatory system through which nutrients move up from the root and sugars manufactured in the leaves descend back down into the roots to be stored as starch.
To complete their dual job, stems are structured much like roots. Strong support fibers are interspersed with hollow veins, but unlike roots the support fibers are not tough enough to do the job alone. They must be helped by a turgid flow of fluid in the veins. It is this combination of firm fiber and lots of water that gives stem vegetables their snap--a brief resistance followed by a burst of juice. If the vascular tissue dehydrates, the stem will lose this crispness, causing the vegetable to become limp.
Stem vegetables don’t usually stand alone. Most often they’re connected to other plant parts. For instance, broccoli is part stem, part flower. Asparagus is both stem and bud. Chard and celery are stem and leaf. Because different plant parts differ in structure, it is important to judge each part respectively. For instance, the stem of broccoli should be judged on its firmness and juiciness, but the flower should be looked at for color and shape. Swollen or open buds indicate the broccoli is about to flower, and yellowness means it has begun to bloom (a sign that the broccoli is past its prime).
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01-The Changing Face of Homemade
02-What's Your Hurry?
03-The Ingredients
04-Organic and All-Natural Ingredients
05-Setting Up A Pantry
06-Using the Recipes
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