A couple weeks ago, we decided to experiment on the cauliflower. No, no, we did not pour boiling water on them! Quoting from the Kansas State University Univesity horticulture report on cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower: "Blanching consists of pulling some of the larger leaves over the small head when they are 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and securing them with twine or rubber bands. Failure to blanch will result in discolored heads often wtih a bitter, disagreeable flavor." Gardeners were mixed about implementing blanching on the cauliflower. Some felt that tying leaves around the head would suppress head growth, leading to smaller heads. Others were skeptical about any difference in taste. So, as an experiment, we tied up two heads, and left the rest untied.
Two weeks later, we have some results. One of the cauliflower heads tied up is quite white; another whose tie fell off and needed to be retied is mostly white. By comparison, the head not tied at all is distinctly yellow. It is also the smallest of the three, but then (unfairly perhaps) the two tied up were larger then as well. One gardener still scoffed that there would be no taste difference. We shall see!
