What are cauliflowers? Unlike what the name suggests, cauliflower is not a flower, it is a vegetable. But to be honest, the name can be a little confusing if you are new to it.

Cauliflower is just one out of the many vegetables that are related to the Brassica oleracea species. It is part of the plant family of Brassicaceae. This vegetable reproduces by seed and is a yearly plant. They are available all throughout the year.

Cauliflowers do resemble cabbages, and for that reason its name is a combination of caulis, which is a Latin word meaning cabbage, and flower, giving birth to cauliflower. Other Brassica oleracea related plants are cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale and collard greens.

Aside from cabbage, cauliflowers resemble more closely the broccoli especially during the early developing stages of the plant. As it grows, the cauliflower builds up a sole compact head which in reality is a white flower bud that is undeveloped. This particular cauliflower head is also known as "curd" for the reason that it has a similarity in terms of appearance with curds of lumpy milk.

Do not be surprised when you see cauliflowers that are not white in color, because it is indeed possible. Aside from white, there are a number of colored varieties of cauliflower. Popular cultivar colors are orange, green, and purple. Once again, white is only the most common color.

But how does the cauliflower curd turn into white or into a pale color? First of all, the dark green leaves of a cauliflower are responsible for surrounding the head and for protecting it from the hard sunlight. With the mentioned protection, the chlorophyll does not have the chance to grow, thus leaving the buds white in color.

When it comes to cauliflowers being part of our daily meal, it has a somewhat sweet, nutty and milky flavor.  Together with the head, more or less all the parts of this plant can be eaten.