At distribution today you may have been mystified at those funny looking root vegetables at the end of the table. Well, that's kohlrabi, one of the brassicas; the most familiar brassica is broccoli, so they are related. And actually, it's not a root vegetable, technically - the edible globe is the plant's swollen stem. Some of you may have gotten green kohlrabi, which is the most common kind, but as you saw there are also purple varieties.

The moniker "kohlrabi" derives from two words: kohl, meaning "cabbage", and rabi, meaning "turnip"; many botanists believe that kohlrabi is a mixture of these two vegetables. It tastes a bit like a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but sweeter and more delicate. You can eat kohlrabi either cooked or raw.

According to Wikipedia, Hamburg Township, Michigan has titled itself the "Kohlrabi Capital of the World". They used to hold a kohlrabi festival every year, and in 1985 it drew 600 people, the largest attendance in the festival's history.

As far as raw preparation goes, you can grate it into salads and use it as an element in coleslaw. You can also slice it thick and use it in sandwiches. As far as cooking it goes, you can steam it and dress it with oil and lemon juice. You can mash it with potatoes and turn it into patties, then fry in butter. The greens are also edible - wash and chop, sautee with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice until tender.

It's always fun to discover a new vegetable. We hope you enjoy the kohlrabi!