Vegetables (Part 1)

What is the Oxford Dictionary definition of a vegetable?

A plant used as food

Many vegetables used in kitchens are botanically:

Fruits 

The Brassica family includes:

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale

Roots and tubers include:

Carrots, beets, potatoes, parsnips

Alliums include:

Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots

Seeds and pods include:

Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils

Nightshades (tender-fruited vegetables) include:

Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers

The gourd family includes:

Cucumber, squash, pumpkin, zucchini

Stalks, stems, and shoots include:

Asparagus, celery, fennel

Mushrooms are:

Fungi

Why are truffles so expensive?

They grow underground and only in certain tree-root environments

Waxy potatoes are best used for:

Boiling, salads, scalloped potatoes

Starchy potatoes are best used for:

Baking, mashing, deep-frying

Potatoes turning green indicates:

Presence of solanine (bitter)

To prevent potatoes from browning:

Place in cold water