Globe artichokes are a type of thistle. The edible part of the artichoke is the young flowerbud. Artichokes are usually boiled in salted water until they are tender. In some countries they are deep fried.
The asparagus spears that you buy in the shops are the new shoots of a type of plant. They are eaten as a vegetable, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. They are usually eaten alone as a side dish rather than mixed into something else like a stew.
The bean is the seed of the bean plant. It is eaten for food, with or without its pod, or grown to improve soil in a garden or farm. Beans are in the same family as peas. The picture is of some different coloured string beans, still in their pods.
Beets are an edible root vegetable, usually a very dark red. They can be eaten raw in salads, steamed or pickled. The stems and leaves of some varieties are also edible and can be used in the same way as spinach.
Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family, which is why they look like tiny cabbages. They are usually cooked whole, boiled, steamed or roasted. If you overcook them they release chemicals that don't taste very good, so you should only cook them for about 6-7 minutes.
The carrot is a bright orange edible root. Carrots are crunchy when you eat them raw.
Carrots can be eaten on their own raw or cooked or used in soups, stews, cakes, puddings and in all manner of ways. They are a very common, widely-used vegetable.
Cauliflowers are a member of the cabbage family. The part of the cauliflower that we eat is a very dense, white mass of unopened flowers. Cauliflowers are very similar to broccoli.
Cauliflower are usually cut up into bite-sized pieces, and then steamed, boiled or stir-fried. They can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Cauliflowers go well with white or cheese-based sauces.
