Botanical surprises

[mamster]

When you were learning about botanical families and research for your book, were you ever surprised to find that two similar vegetables were only distantly related, or vice versa? And in a nutshell, how do you think learning a little botany can help the cook?

[VerbenaNYC]

There were lots of surprises once I started exploring botany and its relationship to foods we eat. I no longer consider grouping vegetables according to its parts, such as root vegetables orleafy greens. I like to view their relationships within their plant families. This is where the essence of their flavor patterns lie. As a chef, it is like learning a new culinary language. I don't cook like a botanist, but I enjoy understanding these new groupings in my kitchen.