Brussels sprouts can be prepared in a myriad of ways to delight your taste buds. Fried, roasted, steamed, or grilled, they make a perfect accompaniment to most meals. Resembling small cabbages, these sprouts can be found at your farmers’ market still attached to the stalk or loose and in bulk. With Brussels sprouts, freshness is key for flavor and reduction of bitterness, so purchase them at the farmers' market where you know they were just harvested.

These sprouts originated in Europe but are now cultivated in the coastal areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties. Brussels sprouts are one of the members of the Brassica family and are in season from September to March with peak flavor in the fall.