Web Chef Review: Ontario Romanesco Broccoflower at Harvest Barn Country Markets

Posted By Kimberly Turner on Oct 11, 2014 in Broccoli, Canadian Food Recipes, Cauliflower, Cooking Shows, Ethnic Foods, Featured, Fruit & Vegetables, Gluten Free, Healthy, Niagara Reviews, Ontario, Product Reviews, Reviews, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies, What I Say About Food | 0 comments

This is an Ontario Romanesco Broccoflower from Harvest Barn Country Markets, which is an amazing vegetable.

What on earth is broccoflower?

It is a hybrid cross, between broccoli and cauliflower, but what a truly beautiful plant it is.

A lovely green cup of leaves, that hold the lemony green pyramid-like vegetable head or curd, in the center, which is made up of bumpy, little florets in a fractal pattern. It is organized much like the way broccoli holds all the little trees. It’s such an interesting arrangement, and pretty enough to make a sweet, little centerpiece for your kitchen counter.

Find out about this product on this webisode of What I Say About Food:

The taste of this attractive Romanesco broccoflower has a milder taste than broccoli or cauliflower, and it’s slightly nutty.

It is high in fiber, high in vitamin C and higher in protein than cauliflower, and when eaten raw, it has a very appealing crunch. When cooked, it holds together well, so you get all the little trees intact.

Everything on the plant is edible, including the stalk and leaves, so nothing need go to waste. The stalk and leaves would make a tasty addition to any of your stocks, stews or soups.

This Romanesco broccoflower came from the Harvest Barn Country Market in Niagara-on-the-Lake. There is another one in St. Catharines, Southern Ontario, and you can find them online:

HarvestBarn.ca

Harvest Barn seems to have an interesting surprise like this for me every time I go there.

Their fresh produce and other products, are brought in to their market, as much as is possible, from within a 100 radius of their locations. In this way, their fresh produce can be picked ripe and transported quickly for their shelves.

This policy avoids lengthy transportation time, during which fresh produce can easily deteriorate, bruise and get damaged. When you look at the Harvest Barn’s fresh produce, you can easily see how beautifully fresh it is and it looks so good, you are inclined to want to buy one of each thing.

Try to get in to the Harvest Barn Country Market nearest you and have a look at their seasonal squash, pumpkins and gourds – they are really a sight to behold. Their fruit and veggies look so good, it’s hard to resist tasting them on the spot.

Introduce your family to a Romanesco Broccoflower – I think kids will enjoy eating the little, green trees that taste so delicious, and can be eaten raw with a nice dip, or cooked with a little bit of butter or melted cheese, to appeal to those who hesitate to try new foods. Once you try it, I think it will be a new favorite for you too.

Be brave and pick up an Ontario Romanesco Broccoflower at Harvest Barn Country Markets and taste this wonderfully flavorful vegetable.