FoodFood InformationVegetables
Cabbage, which originated in Europe, comes in assorted sizes and shapes
and in two colors, green and red. The various members of the cabbage family
include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi,
and Oriental cabbage (Chinese and Napa) as well as the more common head
cabbage. All varieties are nutritious, high in fiber, easy to grow, and
hardy, and all thrive in cool, almost freezing, weather. All types of cabbage
are at peak of season in the cooler months of the year. All are similar
in flavor and have a similar odor when cooking and most are excellent when
served raw as well as when cooked. If we added the tonnage of all the different
types of cabbage, along with that of turnips, we would arrive at a total
that might exceed any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Turnips are closely
related to cabbage, but since they are grown below the surface of the ground,
most think of them as root vegetables. Although collards and kale are listed
above, since they don't head and are prepared like spinach, they are thought
of as more a leafy green.
All members of the cabbage family are available twelve months of the year
and should be refrigerated immediately after they are purchased.