After these months of fresh from the plant salad makings I don't think I can go back to stuff from Publix. I'm planning to try several things to see which we like best and will grow best in our area. From what I've read, Okinawa spinach has the best flavor (and only propagates from cuttings; sadly I have none). I'm going to copy my notes from my journal below; I have managed to locate some of these seeds so drop me a note if you would like a few of any to try. Winged Bean - The plant produces pea-like beans with four winged edges. Almost every part of this unique plant is tasty and edible. The fresh young pods are similar to green beans with a chewy texture and a slightly sweet taste. When cooked, the leaves taste like spinach and the flowers like mushrooms. The firm-fleshed roots have a nutty flavor. This remarkable bean could become one of the most important crops for underdeveloped countries, because it offers a high source of protein. Winged bean is a tropical plant and grows vigorously in warm climates. However, this plant does not produce beans well during the long day season, but will bear/produce lots of beans when a shorter day season arrives in late summer and fall. Therefore it is suggested to consider this day length situation in planning your planting/growing time for obtaining the best results. India Spinach Beet - a fast growing vegetable, native to Indian hot and raining summer weather. Leaves are smooth, tender and uniformly green. First cutting can be done in 25 to 30 days after sowing and subsequent cuttings can be harvested in 15-20 days. Instead of the cutting method, some people like to harvest by picking outter leaves for eating, while the plant continues to produce more new inner leaves. This vegetable is strongly resistant to heat and is one of the most popular greens during hot summer in India and Southern Asia. 'Spinach Beet' : Leaves and leaf stems - raw or cooked like spinach. A very good spinach substitute, the leaves are large and easily harvested, yields are high. Some people dislike the raw leaves since they can leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Flowering stem - cooked. A broccoli substitute. Looks a lot like chard I think. Also called perpetual spinach I think. Quoting from an Orlando Sentinel Article (May 6, 2000!): Okinawa spinach, quailgrass, mountain orach and Brazilian spinach are among the most attractive. Also, they will all grow as container plants. Spinach oleoraceae is the typical green spinach of Popeye fame. Many other plants have the same common name. They are potherbs that produce edible leaves which are boiled or cooked like spinach. Why not try them? Malabar spinach, featured at Epcot's Land Pavilion, has attracted a lot of interest. The plant grows as a heat-tolerant vine with red or green foliage. Leaves should be harvested frequently as mature leaves are tough. Young leaves and shoots taste like sweet corn and can be eaten fresh or cooked. New Zealand spinach is another hot-weather groundcover crop. It has potential as a heat-hardy hanging-basket plant. Seeds are often available commercially. The plants are drought-tolerant and grow in full sun or light shade. Plants grow from cuttings and re-seed easily in frost-free areas. Tender new shoots of New Zealand spinach can be used in a salad. For the best cooked flavor, boil the leaves twice, pour off the first water and add fresh water for the final cooking. Relatives of true spinach and beets include strawberry spinach and tree spinach. Strawberry spinach gets its name from the small strawberrylike fruit that can be eaten raw or cooked. Young leaves are eaten in soups and salads. It reseeds easily, as Hank Bruce puts it, ``with enthusiasm.'' Beware of where you plant it. Tree spinach grows to a height of 8 feet or more. Eaten cooked or raw, this is another easy-to-grow vegetable. Mountain spinach, Atriplex hortensis, known as garden orach, is another spinach relative. This attractive plant produces 4- to 6-foot-tall plants with leaves that may be red, green or white depending on the variety. Coastal gardeners may want to try this salt-tolerant green. Leaves are arrowhead-shaped and can be eaten raw or cooked. Keep flower spikes trimmed to promote tender growth. African spinach, Celosia argentea, is in the amaranth family. This African native is known as quailgrass in the United States. This plant is an annual that produces attractive flowers suitable for drying. The leaves are red and green and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Tender stems can be cooked like asparagus shoots. This heat lover grows well in pots or in the garden. Provide full sun and adequate moisture. Harvest often to maintain plants at 2 to 3 feet high. Brazilian spinach, Alternantheria sisso, as its name implies, is native to South America. This plant is another amaranth but grows as a groundcover growing to 10 to 12 inches high. It thrives in partial shade or full sun and prefers soil enriched with compost. Chinese spinach, Amaranth gangeticus, is another heat-loving annual. It is a popular addition to Asian diets. This plant grows quickly from seed. Grow it in full sun and provide uniform moisture for best flavor. A daisy relative, Okinawa spinach, Gynura crepiodes, has attractive succulent leaves that are dark green above and purple underneath. Leaves have a nutty taste. Eat the leaves fresh or lightly steam them to avoid a mushy product. The daisylike blooms attract butterflies. Bruce has found this one to be the most adapted to our Florida summers. If you are unable to locate seeds, contact Bruce at 352-383-2704 or by e-mail at hankbruce@mail2.LCIA.com He is eager to hear about your growing experiences. Diversify your garden, plant some uncommon vegetables and learn about other cultures. You may find we have a lot in common - we need to eat. Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, or ECHO, is in North Fort Myers. The group shares information and seeds from a variety of crops being used and evaluated throughout the world. The group conducts classes and tours and links growers to research. For more information, visit ECHO on the Web at www.echonet.org or call 941-543-3246. Jim Stephens, vegetable specialist at the University of Florida, has produced a Manual of Minor Vegetables that includes growing tips on a variety of uncommon vegetables. Contact the Osceola County Extension Office at 407-846-4181 or e-mail us at oscmg@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu for ordering information. Okinawa Spinach is grown and sold locally by Simple Living Institute Pigeon Pea grows well here in the summer - small bush Mexican tarragon, Cuban oregano, African blue basil, fennel - these all should do well in the summer and possibly be perennial. One of these days I should try perilla Look at Asian greens and vegetables and look for names like "tropical"; or look for Taiwan named/developed plants; or Southern China, middle India. Hint! Look at other countries/cities around the world in our latitude. Senposai, Ching-Chiang Cabbage - Hybrid Tropic Wonder, Yu Choy Hybrid, - reportedly grew and tasted good in Houston ~dianne

There's a recipe in the Ball Blue Book for a Spieced Red Cabbage. It is not nearly the same, but you might want to check it out. I don't belive that Rotkohl has enough acid for a boiling water bath. My recipe, which uses 1 1/2 lbs of cabbage, only has 3 tbls wine vinegar and a half cup white wine. I usually just freeze it.

The next time I make sausages, I'm making this recipe posted on the Cabbage Cook-a -long. It really grabbed me as the perfect accompaniment to assuages. Haluski (Pan-Fried Cabbage and Noodles) Servings: 4 4 cups wide egg noodles 8 TBSP butter 2 cups sliced onions, about 1/8 inch thick 6 cups cabbage, sliced thin Half teaspoon salt pepper Directions Cook egg noodles according to package directions, then drizzle with a bit of oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together and set aside. While noodles are cooking, melt butter in large deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute, stirring occasionally for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened and just beginning to turn golden. Add cabbage to skillet, stirring well to incorporate with onion, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer until vegetables are soft. Turn heat back to medium, add cooked noodles, salt and pepper, and stir well until noodles are heated though. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve hot.

As I thought would happen, the color of the green cabbage when braised was most unappealing. It was a brown mess. Also, if anyone uses the recipe I attached above, you might want to reduce the amount of mustard. I found the mustard taste to be overwhelming. If I were to make this recipe again, I would either cut the amount of mustard in half or just eliminate it altogether.