A cauliflower is a vegetable with a thick white head made up of tightly packed flower buds that never quite bloomed. The head, called a curd, sits on a short stalk surrounded by green leaves. Raw cauliflower is crunchy and has a mild, slightly sweet taste. When cooked, it becomes softer and nuttier.

Cauliflower belongs to the same plant family as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. In fact, if you look closely at a cauliflower head, you can see it's actually thousands of tiny buds clustered together, which is why the texture looks almost like a bumpy cloud.

People prepare cauliflower in many ways: steamed, roasted, mashed like potatoes, or even ground up to make pizza crust or rice substitutes. Some cauliflowers are purple, orange, or green instead of white. The vegetable grows best in cool weather, and farmers have to be careful to protect the developing heads from too much sun, which can turn them yellow or give them an off flavor.