I love cabbage. In fact, I eat it by the head. Ok, well that depends on the size of the head because they can grow up to 50 pounds in size. And it can be found locally very easily here. As green writer Roger Doiron says, "what cabbage lacks in sex appeal and trendiness it makes up for in dependability and productivity." He's right and I just can't get enough of the stuff.

If you want to get even more local than the farmers' market, consider growing your own cabbage. To grow your own cabbage, space your cabbage rows six inches apart and plant the seeds at a depth of about half an inch. Only water the cabbages if the weather is dry and maintain the crop by ensuring that weeds are not present. They are ready to pick when they appear fully formed, firm, and ready to eat. Weekly sprays of Spinosad will control the cabbageworms that plague cabbage.

Whether you're growing your own or picking it up at the farmers' market, it makes great eats. I love to braise it with high quality balsamic vinegar that reduces down and becomes sweet. It pairs well with a good goat cheese. This is a copycat recipe of Houston's famously delicious braised purple cabbage. I substituted the red wine vinegar for balsamic and used olive oil instead of butter.

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