Savoy cabbage and unusual seasonings such as juniper. Signs of desirable quality include cabbage that is heavy for its size with leaves that are unblemished and have a bright, fresh look. Peak season for most cabbages in the Northern Hemisphere runs from November through April. Fresh whole cabbage will keep in the refrigerator for one to six weeks depending on type and variety. Hard green, white or red cabbages will keep the longest while the looser Savoy and Chinese varieties such as napa and bok choy need to be consumed more quickly. It is necessary to keep the outer leaves intact without
Vegetable meaning then being "the edible part of such a plant". A more precise definition is "any plant part consumed for food that is not a fruit or seed, but including mature fruits that are eaten as part of a main meal". Falling outside these definitions are edible fungi (such as edible mushrooms) and edible seaweed which, although not parts of plants, are often treated as vegetables. In the latter-mentioned definition of "vegetable", which is used in everyday language, the words "fruit" and "vegetable" are mutually exclusive. "Fruit" has a precise botanical meaning, being a part that developed from the ovary