What's Cooking on 1060: Demand For Cauliflower Blossoms
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There seems to be a new vegetable trend on the dining scene. It seems cauliflower has earned a seat at the "cool-kids" table, right next to kale.
Philadelphia vegan restaurant owner Nicole Marquis of Charlie Was a Sinner, Hip City Veg and Bar Bombon says cauliflower was never prepared as nicely as it is now.
"Neither were Brussels sprouts," she says.
If fact, Marquis says Brussels sprouts were the "it" food several years ago, then the trend turn to kale in everything and now it's cauliflower:
So what's the tipping point with cauliflower's popularity?
"I'm not really sure. I just know that it's so versatile and especially with the growing vegetarian interest," Marquis says. "You can grill it like a steak, it's meatly, yet it's mild. It's filling."
But earlier this month, the vegetable suddenly got expensive.
"We were really hurting from these prices," Marquis says. "It went up to about $50 a case because the drought in California, Mexico, had a pretty bad winter. It was coming in with a lot of brown spots."
In fact, Jean Mackenzie, produce manager at Weaver's Way coop in Mt. Airy says...
"I stopped carrying it for about three weeks because the price was outrageous!"
But after customer outcry, Mackenzie restocked it despite the price:
"I knew my customers liked their cauliflower," she says, "but I had no idea they'd like it $6.99 worth!"
To everyone's relief last week, the price dropped, and Marquis says that's a good thing as her cauliflower dish is one of her most popular.
Hear the full podcast (runs 4:17)…
And for this week, that's "What's Cooking on 1060!"
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