My mother has an affinity for the saying: "Bloom where you are planted." I think it appeals to both her love of nature and the notion that a higher power, whatever your belief, is in control and you are merely a seed in the wind.
No matter what obstacles are in your path, your destiny has been chosen for you. You must grow in the face of adversity and develop into the life you were meant to lead.
So, when I discovered a lone kohlrabi plant growing at the base of a Milwaukee street light on an busy corner on the East Side, I instantly thought of her. I decided let nature take its course for a week before harvesting it for my enjoyment. This gave me time to give a little thought into how I'd best like to eat it and ponder how it got there in the first place.
I'm a big fan of kohlrabi (or the German turnip, if you prefer), a member of the same family of cruciferous vegetables that includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage. Deciding how to best devour it was easy. My sister-in-law provided an excellent idea for an Asian cole slaw recipe incorporating grated kohlrabi with sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated carrots and sesame seeds. The slaw was served with some grilled beets from a good friend's garden and grilled lake trout from Lake Superior. It was truly delicious.
As for how the kohlrabi found its way to the corner of Farwell and Thomas, I'll never guess. Someone had to have planted it there, I just know it. I asked all my fellow Whole Foods Market team members, but no one is stepping forward to take any credit, not even any of the folks in produce. Incidentally, I also found some oregano, possibly wild, and a few sunflowers growing at this corner, too.
After harvesting, I put a fall crop in its place. I kicked around several ideas before deciding on Swiss chard. Chard is really beautiful and colorful as it grows. I dropped a handful of seeds and now, I wait.
