Broccoli is a member of the family Brassicaceae, also known as the cabbage family, along with Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and radishes. We eat the flower buds of the plant, before they bloom; the stalks are also edible, but have a tougher texture. The plant’s primitive ancestor is native to Asia Minor, but a significant amount of it’s development occurred in southern Italy.

Cauliflower is also in the Brassicaceae family, with a head comprised of flower buds. It is believed that it was cultivated in Egypt as early as the 4th century B.C. and has a parallel history to that of broccoli. Cauliflower has a compact, typically white head, that is covered in many layers of green leaves.