by David Lesako
This is one of my husband, David’s “Garden Series,” pastels. Last summer we grew all these gorgeous but small cabbages. I started them indoors and transplanted them into the garden, close together so they wouldn’t get too big. Large cabbages have a tendency to split and taste “hot,”mostly because they have been around too long–and there is too much to use up, so unless you make kraut, they end up as compost.
Small cabbages, on the other hand, are enough for a salad for two or four and they are tender and lovely. The cabbage pictured is a Savoy cabbage, which has these gorgeous, ruffled leaves and a more subtle flavor. The day I cut this cabbage and brought it out in my basket, David and I were both inspired. I wanted to cook it, or make a sweet-and-sour cabbage salad, really not a slaw, and he wanted to draw it.
We each had our way with it, though his was more permanent. Mine, just a memory.