Love it or hate it, broccoli is part of our vegetarian rotation all year long. But this time of year is when the heads—actually large flowering heads that we eat before they bloom—are especially sweet and tender, with tight, bright-green to dusty-blue clusters.
As a crop, broccoli goes back to the Roman Empire. It was introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. Hearty, easy to grow, and prolific, broccoli has become a year-round staple.
