To be fair, there are so many charming discoveries and startling details packed into Vegetables that it's sometimes hard to keep the usefulness of the basics in mind. The book's whoa! factor (as in "Whoa! I didn't know that!") is exceptionally high. If you squeeze a fresh artichoke, it "protests with a noisy squeak; a flabby one barely mumbles." Bottle gourds, or calabashes, "have served for centuries as protectors of mankind's manhood in the tropics"; an Italian chef she knows has used them as life preservers. Morels are called molly moochers in the Appalachians. Red-in-snow mustard is actually green. The pink oyster mushroom has a shelf life of about two hours.... Despite its heft, Vegetables is a book some readers will want to keep on the bedside table.
"Vegetables have very specific biographies and significance for the people who love them and grow them and cook them," says Schneider. "They're a wonderful excuse to learn about the world. You can be an emotional and scholarly snoop without interfering with people's privacy. I think vegetables are enchanting, I think they're beautiful, I think they're enjoyable." If Schneider's "critters" could talk, they would certainly return the compliment.
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