Doing the Cauliflower Creak!

‘Allo! How’re you today then? Tickety boo? Good show! Got time for a mug of coffee and a virtual English scone' slathered with Devonshire clotted cream? Yum! No calories either!  Thanks to Brian in Pattaya for sending me info about the ‘Cauliflower creak’, which in thinking back it seems to me that I have actually heard it but never gave it much thought.

Cauliflower creak' is an eerie squeaking sound that sweeps the fields of Cornwall (the one in England...not Ontario) each year.

It's heard on the county's rural cauliflower farms when the crop is close to harvest – a loud, high-pitched noise caused by a sudden growth or "flush" of the vegetable.

This year, farmers in Cornwall are predicting the creak could be at its loudest for a quarter for a century.

They say the plants are expected to grow by as much as three centimetres a day this weekend, which causes florets to rub together and form the odd sound.

It’s rare for the cauliflower creak be so pronounced. The 2015 cauliflower creak is likely to be louder still due to a sudden increase in night-time temperatures over the weekend, which will produce rapid growth.

"It’ll result in the sweetest tasting cauliflowers for quarter of a century"

And now...everything you wanted to know about cauliflower and then some...

Cauliflower facts from The Cornishman:

•     The name cauliflower comes from the Latin for cabbage ‘caulis’ and flower. It is thought to have originated from a wild cabbage

•     The vegetable is part of the Brassica family, which also includes broccoli, cabbage, sprouts and kale

•     The earliest record of cauliflower is from the 6th Century in Turkey. The ancient Roman records of Pliny also cite it in the 2nd century. It is thought to have arrived in Britain in the 13th Century

•     Many varieties of cauliflower exist, such as purple and orange

•     The vegetable should be planted between March and July. At this time of year the plant takes only 90 days from planting to harvest

•     The cauliflower stays white due the protective leaves around it – which screen it from the sun and stop the formation of green chlorophyll

•     Approximately 6,000 heads of cauliflowers can grow per acre of land

•     Cauliflower will be white and bright with clasping leaves covering part of the curds

•     Nutritionally, cauliflowers are high in fibre, vitamin C, and folate – these can contribute towards a healthy digestive system, skin, nails, hair and blood

•     Cauliflower leaves are also edible and have a stronger taste than the florets. They are great in smoothies and soups

Good to know the leaves are edible, eh!  I’ll remember that the next time I’m making soup! Cauliflower and cheddar cheese soup? Wonderful!

See ya, eh!

Bob