Could it be those splendid cabbages which disoriented poet Turgut Uyar so much? Some insist it is “red cabbage” while others cringe at the thought grumbling “Are you colour blind? It’s purple!” Who knows? This controversy alone might have thrown Uyar off his balance right from the first verse. The thought is not that outlandish, for both the colour and taste of this vegetable is not far from a poem.

I would be doing injustice if I failed to mention Mark Twain’s famous quote which disdains the cabbage family in favour of the glorious cauliflower: “A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.”

Do not let Twain’s accusations discourage you. If what they say is true… that the body reflects the soul and if this applies to vegetables, then we are confronted by a very confused recluse, lost in its own labyrinth. Pick up a sturdy knife and cut it in half to witness the beauty and chaos within nature.

There is a perfectly tenable reason why we speak in its absence. If by any chance you stumble upon a culinary article on this website, there can only be two reasons. One: The vegetable or fruit in question is in season, it is delicious. We believe in eating seasonally and feel obliged to make a small reminder. Two: “Paper” editors adored İbrahim Özbunar’s photograph, fell for the vegetable’s photogenic qualities and took it upon themselves to rhapsodise about it!

Since cabbage season is here in all its glory, here is a shortlist of ideas for your taste buds.
Juice it and drink it.
Pickle it and eat it.
Make a mezze for a dinner with friends or family. Chop finely before adding homemade mayonnaise, thick yoghurt, crushed walnuts and a little garlic.