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Brussels sprout
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The Brussels (or brussels) sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) of the Brassicaceae family, is a Cultivar group of wild cabbage cultivated for its small (typically or diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.
-runners to modern Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated in ancient Rome. Brussels sprouts as we now know them were grown possibly as early as the 1200s in what is now Belgium.
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The Brussels (or brussels) sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) of the Brassicaceae family, is a Cultivar group of wild cabbage cultivated for its small (typically or diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.
Cultivation
Fore-runners to modern Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated in ancient Rome. Brussels sprouts as we now know them were grown possibly as early as the 1200s in what is now Belgium. The first written reference dates to 1587. During the sixteenth century they enjoyed a popularity in the southern Netherlands that eventually spread throughout the cooler parts of Northern Europe.
Brussels sprouts grow in temperature ranges of 7 to 24°C , with highest yields at 15 to 18°C . Plants grow from seeds in seed beds or greenhouses, and are transplanted to growing fields.. Fields are ready for harvest 90-180 days after planting. The edible sprouts grow like buds in a spiral array on the side of long thick stalks of approximately 60 to 120 cm in height, maturing over several weeks from the lower to the upper part of the stalk. Sprouts may be picked by hand into baskets, in which case several harvests are made of 5-15 sprouts at a time, by cutting the entire stalk at once for processing, or by mechanical harvester, depending on variety. Each stalk can produce 1.1 to 1.4 kilograms , although the commercial yield is approximately 900 grams (2 lb) per stalk. In the home garden, "sprouts are sweetest after a good, stiff frost."
Brussels sprouts are among the same family that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi: they are cruciferous. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to their containing sinigrin. Although they contain compounds such as goitrin that can act as goitrogens and interfere with thyroid hormone production, realistic amounts in the diet do not seem to have any effect on the function of the thyroid gland in humans.
USA cultivation
Production of Brussels sprouts in the United States began around 1800, when French settlers brought them to Louisiana. The first plantings in California's Central Coast began in the 1920s, with significant production beginning in the 1940s. Currently there are several thousand acres planted in coastal areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties of California, which offer an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round. The harvest season lasts from June through January. They are also grown in Baja California, where the harvest season is from December through June.
Much of the United States production is in California, with a smaller percentage of the crop grown in Skagit Valley Washington, where cool springs, mild summers and rich soil abounds and to a lesser degree on Long Island, New York. Total United States production is approximately 32,000 tons, with a value of $27 million. Ontario, Canada produces approximately 1,000 tons per year. In Continental Europe the largest producers are the Netherlands, at 82,000 metric tons, and Germany, at 10,000 tons. England has production comparable to that of the Netherlands, but is not generally exported internationally.
80% to 85% of US production is for the frozen food market, with the remainder for fresh consumption. Once harvested, sprouts last 3-5 weeks under ideal near-freezing conditions before wilting and discoloring, and about half as long at refrigerator temperature.. Europeans prefer smaller varieties with bulbs approximately 1.3cm (1/2 inch) in diameter, while American varieties are 2.5 - 5cm (1-2 inches).
Cooking and preparation
The most common method of preparing Brussels sprouts for cooking is first to remove the buds from the stalk. Cut away any surplus stem and then peel and discard the surface leaves that are loosened by this cut. Cooking methods include boiling, steaming and roasting. To ensure even cooking throughout, buds of a similar size should always be chosen. Some cooks will cut a cross in center of the stem to aid the penetration.
Whatever cooking method is employed, care must be taken not to overcook. Overcooking releases the sulphur smelling glucosinolate, sinigrin. This is the reason many people profess to dislike Brussels sprouts; only ever having tried them overcooked with the accompanying sulfuric taste and smell. Generally 6-7 minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook, without overcooking and releasing the sinigrin.
Gallery
Grammatical usage
The term Brussels sprout is a countable noun whose plural form is Brussels sprouts. Some house styles (e.g., the Chicago Manual of Style) prefer to render words derived from geographical names in lowercase, when used with a non-literal meaning.
External links
- - Plants For a Future database entry
- - recommendations for maintaining postharvest quality (UC Davis)
- - nutritional information on raw Brussels Sprouts.
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