rutabaga

Add the celeriac, potato, turnip, rutabaga, and carrots and stir to coat with butter.

Try the elegant parsnip in the Parsnip, Green Bean, and Turnip Saute; the earthy rutabaga in the unusual guise of Curried Rutabaga and Apple; and the Crunchy Marinated Carrots and Turnips, flavored with orange juice and Dijon mustard.

1 1/4 pounds organic rutabaga, peeled and thinly sliced

However, the family of cruciferous foods, which is far bigger than many people realize, also includes Brussels sprouts, bok choy (Chinese cabbage), kale, broccoli rabe, turnips, rutabaga, radishes, arugula, watercress, mustard greens, and collard greens.

"Indeed," the diner went on, "and the second course was a small rutabaga we had harvested ourselves, served on a bed of organic soil.

Imagine some curious Swede purposely crossing a cabbage and a turnip, and then naming the result "root bag." Sad to say, that is the historic truth behind the creation of our beloved rutabaga, one of the simplest, most useful (and edible) plants in today's truck garden.

Assistant Professor Josh Dubnau, of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), has ofund that both short- and long-term memories require the same gene, known as rutabaga, of which humans also have a similar version.

Definitely put rutabaga on your "gotta try it" list: Dense and nutty "Swede turnips" are really good (and easy!) when grown in the fall.

For rhythm with your rutabaga: Catch live jazz at the Fillmore Farmers' Market (9--1 Sat; O'Farrell and Fillmore Streets; pcfma.com).

Among items that do unusually well are rutabagas. "I've never been able to sell a rutabaga in my whole career," says Olson.

(Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard Greens, Rutabaga, Turnip Greens, and Turnips)