Brussels Sprouts!

I was never force fed Brussels sprouts as a child so I didn't have any first hand negative associations with them. But some of our widespread cultural prejudice must have rubbed off on me because I found myself one day last winter challenging myself to learn to like them.

I was successful without too much effort. They're wonderful tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted for 20-30 minutes. I've also been simply cutting them up and tossing them in without whatever other vegetables I'm cooking.

I'd seen them at markets and in the grocery store sold on stems as "Brussels sprout trees," but I only recently learned that the tree part is actually the center of the plant, with big leaves growing around the sprouts. I tasted a leaf, and it tasted a lot like collard greens.