High Price Of Cauliflower Infuriates Some Dieters

Cold weather in the cauliflower-growing regions of California and Arizona has led to a shortage and a rise in prices that has dieters around the U.S. in a frenzy. Cauliflower has become a favorite of low-carb devotees because a medium-size head has fewer carbs than a single potato, is rich in vitamin C and low in calories. Creative cooks have found many ways to prepare it, even to disguise it to substitute for other foods in recipes (e.g., the “mac” in mac and cheese, faux mashed potatoes, and even ersatz rice). But the scarcity of the vegetable has driven prices to prohibitive levels: up 30 percent from a year ago, according to the USDA, with some stores charging as much as $8.00 a head.