Cooks joke about kohlrabi—how it has an alien-spaceship vibe going on, with its bulbous shape and spindly leaves extended skyward like Doctor Who or Star Trek-ready wings.  It looks like something that might descend quietly down to earth in the night—with a crew of tiny, green, extraterrestrial vegetarians on board.

Most Americans would be hard-pressed to identify this odd vegetable with its swollen stem that masquerades as a root.  European-born ex-pats on the other hand, recognize an earthling when they see it—this one’s as commonplace in the homeland as a turnip root or cabbage head.  Kohlrabi is, in fact, a close relative of cabbage, as well as cauliflower, brussel sprouts and broccoli.  And it’s taste suggests the latter, if not its other-worldly appearance.

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You might be thinking about Mother’s Day—what to do for that special woman, the one who fed (or feeds) you, bandaged the skinned knees, laughed at the goofy jokes and attended every one of the many soccer games, dance recitals and even the screechy grade-school band concerts (cheering supportively, every step of the way).  This is the woman who tucked you in at night, and perhaps wanted to, even after you’d outgrown the cozy ritual. And who always had a hug ready, when words alone just weren’t enough.

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